2021 Rising Stars

The Rising Star award was established in 2020 to recognize a young alumna who graduated up to ten years ago. We are seeking nominees who exhibit excellent potential or whose early accomplishments distinguish her as a possible future leader poised to positively impact the world.

IZTLALI ORTIZ ‘14

EQUITY-CENTER LEADER

A Flintridge Sacred Heart woman is someone who pursues truth in her study, faith, service, and com tion of Iztlali Ortiz’s work. She dedicated her early career to impacting hundreds of students in low-income communities as an educator and now as a public policy fellow.

Iztlali’s work upon graduation was equity centered, she joined Teach For America where she worked in one of the highest need elementary schools in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She ensured that students who were coming from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds received a responsive and rigorous education through her research-based classroom systems and policies. Iztlali found her way back to Los Angeles and reconnected to her roots at Flintridge Sacred Heart. She reached out to alumna, Bianca Nepales Gervacio ‘07, for help in creating a network of other alumnae who are working in social justice to young alumnae who are looking to enter the teaching profession. In her most recent work, she served as a policy advisor developing equity-driven policy and program recommendations for one of the largest school districts serving students coming from low-income and migrant backgrounds. As Iztlali continues her career in public policy, she will continue to advocate for all students to access an equitable education, rooted in her understanding of Veritas.

DREW WASHINGTON ‘12

2021 FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

While at Flintridge Sacred Heart, Drew was Co-Captain of both the Varsity Volleyball and Track and Field teams. She also served as the 2012 Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Rose Queen.

Drew’s passion for sports, entertainment, and combatting social issues became a career goal. For three years, she interned at HBO, working in their original programming, like Girls, Westworld, Boardwalk Empire, and The Newsroom. After that, she moved to the agency side of the industry and worked for Creative Artist Agency, CAA, and Wasserman Media Group in their sports property sales departments. Drew went on to attend law school at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. There, she was a member of the Berkeley Law Moot Court team where she competed in the National Appellate Advocacy Competition. After of Winston & Strawn as a litigation associate in their New labor law. Drew also regularly works on matters for the NFL Players Association, various sports agencies, and individual athletes. Drew recently moved back home to California and now works out of Winston & Strawn’s San Francisco .