Calm, clear, and centered—that’s how people tend to describe Gabriela Gucho-Oliva.

In her professional life, she has led global, complex brand partnerships with focus and empathy, balancing high-stakes projects with a steady sense of perspective. That groundedness, she says, traces back to The Bay School.

“At Bay, we started each morning with meditation,” she says. “That moment of grounding and centering—just taking a breath—has stayed with me.”

Growing up in San Francisco’s Mission District, Gabriela was introduced to Bay through First Graduate, a nonprofit that helps first-generation students access college-preparatory schools. Once she arrived, she discovered a kind of learning she hadn’t known existed—hands-on, interconnected, and alive. Whether exploring the Presidio, writing poetry about food, or designing clothes for a student fashion show, she learned that the best education is lived, not lectured.

Bay also helped her learn how to manage both her time and her mind. “Flex period made me really mindful about how I used my time,” she says. “It helped me build the structure and awareness that I still use every day.”

That sense of agency carried her through Tufts, to roles at Google, Ubisoft, Twitch, and now to a creative agency where she leads with both focus and compassion. “I learned early on that you can give your best without giving away your peace,” she says. “That balance is everything.”

Now serving as a Bay trustee, Gabriela sees her story as one reflection of what makes Bay powerful. “Bay made me more aware,” she says. “It helped me understand myself, pay attention to the people around me, and stay grounded even when life moves fast.”