Natalia Jasper was born in Ecuador but spent most of her early education years living in Queens, New York. She moved back to her native Ecuador during her high school years and returned to attend college at Stevens Institute of Technology. She earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with high honors. Upon graduation she worked as a mechanical design engineer designing, manufacturing, and testing space hardware for the Orion spacecraft. While working full time as an engineer she also obtained a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. These experiences allowed Natalia to follow her passion and love for engineering and science, but they also drove home how rare it was to be a young Latina in engineering, and how necessary it was for there to be more diversity in the STEM fields. After working as an engineer for four years, Natalia transitioned into a teaching career where she felt she could be a role model for young women interested in math and science. Natalia is currently a math and physics teacher at Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C.