Staff: Maricela Vidal Gonzalez

Maricela was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her family moved to Oregon when she was seven years old. Oregon is where she went to school from 2nd grade all the way through college. She graduated from Pacific University in 2019 with a Bachelors in elementary education.

What she appreciates most about Friends of the Children – Portland is that instead of putting its primary focus on what obstacles children are facing, they look for resources available to help them overcome them. Additionally, she appreciates how FriendsPDX is there for the children as a support system to let them know that they are not alone and that they have people who care for them and will look after them.

Maricela loves hiking and exploring nature. This is her way of releasing stress and appreciating the beauty of nature itself. She also enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, foods, and different traditions. She love spending time with her family, friends, and lovely dog Kiko.