Eliza Cornejo
Development Specialist
Eliza Cornejo’s journey in nonprofit work began with a deep commitment to serving underserved communities. Cornejo’s passion for teaching and social justice guided her career toward working with marginalized populations, supporting individuals facing barriers to living fulfilling, successful lives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and psychology and a master’s degree in the art of teaching from Goucher College.
Cornejo started her career working in under-resourced Title I public schools in Baltimore City, Maryland and taught English as a second language to adult learners, helping them develop essential skills to succeed academically, professionally and personally. Her work in various educational settings eventually led her to focus on expanding higher education access for incarcerated individuals. Over the years, Cornejo has worked her way up from volunteer roles to leadership positions in the nonprofit sector in Maryland and Florida. In her previous role, she served as the executive director of a mid-sized nonprofit, overseeing programs and operations, fundraising, budgeting and strategic vision.
In her current role, Cornejo brings her passion and experience to Operation Smile, working on the development team to bring us all toward a world in which every child has access to essential surgical care. Whether it is through advocating for incarcerated individuals, improving educational outcomes for low-income youth, stabilizing support systems for adult immigrants or increasing access to life-sustaining medical care, Cornejo is dedicated to creating a more equitable world that lifts up those who have historically been overlooked.
In her free time, Cornejo enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her two young daughters.