Gisela Pungello she/ella

Gisela Pungello has a background education as an elementary school teacher and a software programmer. As a Central American immigrant, she had to overcome lots of obstacles when she arrived to the United States of America. Obtaining a GED was the only way to find work in a country that did not recognize her education as valid, so she had to adapt to a completely different culture and a different language. Being a minority, she has been faced by many different types of discrimination, which has opened her heart to empathizing with the struggles of other minority groups. Life experience has been her best school, and she has enjoyed each part of it. Growing, always showed interest in what "the boys" were doing, not understanding why there was a problem that she wanted to wear pants and play in the mud, or that war games were more fun than cooking. Many skirts were destroyed in her quest to find herself!. She loved sports, played basket ball, and was even a part of the national swimming team for four years as a teenager. As an adult, she became the mother of two wonderful children, one of them being a gifted student and the other struggling to find his place in society due to autism and being transgender. Nonetheless, the house environment was always interesting, since both kids happen to be inquisitive and defiant to their surroundings. Gisela is a certified Medical Interpreter, court Interpreter and with good experience in community interpreting. Now working as a Patient Navigator for adult transgender and gender diverse individuals, she hopes to help her clients find validation and respect within the medical system, as well as helping patients gain more confidence to face life. Gisela has many interests, she enjoys different types of crafts, especially sewing. She enjoys anime, reading manga, watching Doctor Who, Star Wars, and reading the occasional comic book. She also enjoys listening to K-Pop, watching K-Dramas and playing boardgames with friends and family. She and her partner are always happy to welcome people to their home and have a good game night with their very welcoming chihuahua Rabbit.