Mireille Lecourtois
Civil Engineer, STEM Advocate, DACA Recipient
Mireille Lecourtois (formerly Mireille Garcia Serrato) is a proud Latina, DACA recipient, first-generation college graduate, civil engineer, and entrepreneur. Born in Mexico and raised in City Heights, San Diego, she grew up in an undocumented, working-class household where resilience was a daily necessity and education a path to opportunity.
Mireille became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a B.S. in Environmental Engineering in 2019 and an M.S. in Civil Engineering in 2022 from San Diego State University. Today, she serves as a Water Resource Control Engineer at the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, protecting public health, water quality, and the environment. Her work has earned statewide recognition, including the Superior Accomplishment Award from the California Water Boards and the Outstanding Civil Engineer in Community Service Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), San Diego Section.
Beyond her engineering work, Mireille is a passionate advocate for representation in STEM and immigrant rights. As part of the 2% of employed Latina engineers and the 4% of Latinas with a master’s degree, she uses her platform to mentor students, organize outreach events, and speak publicly about the intersection of immigration and access to opportunity. Her advocacy reflects her commitment to ensuring that young Latinas, immigrants, and first-generation students know they belong in STEM and beyond.
Mireille’s story is not just one of success—but of survival, perseverance, and the ongoing fight for a more inclusive American Dream. She continues to advocate for a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and remains dedicated to creating a future where all immigrant families have the opportunity to thrive.
Panel Information
OPENING SESSION - Being Latino in 2025: Voices from a Changing America
9:00 AM
This session is meant to spark the kind of honest, grounded reflections that will frame our upcoming plenary conversations—not with pundits or polished talking points, but with the voices of everyday Latinos. Immigrant parents, students, workers, and community advocates will speak to the realities they face: rising attacks on their rights, deep disparities in health, education, tech access, and economic opportunity. This is where the conversation begins—raw, real, and rooted in the truth of lived experience.