Kayla Oquendo

I attribute my success to my faith, my willingness to learn, and the people who have invested in me throughout my journey. I have always been passionate about helping others, and that passion has continued to guide my career. From being a seventh-grade peer counselor to becoming a statewide leader, I have remained committed to showing up, working hard, and making a meaningful difference. I also believe my success comes from being adaptable, building genuine relationships, and never being afraid to step outside of my comfort zone. Most importantly, I give God the credit for opening doors, providing opportunities, and giving me the strength and purpose to walk through them.

The best career advice I have ever received is, “Don’t be afraid to take up space.” I’ve learned that your voice, experience, and perspective have value, and you have to be willing to advocate for yourself and step into opportunities even when you don’t feel completely ready. I also believe in staying teachable, building genuine relationships, and remembering that success is not just about the position you hold, but the impact you make along the way.

My advice to young women entering this field is to stay true to who you are and never be afraid to use your voice. Be willing to learn, ask questions, build meaningful relationships, and advocate for yourself and the people you serve. Your career may not always follow the path you imagined, and that’s okay. Say yes to opportunities that challenge you, trust the process, and remember that you don’t have to know everything to make an impact. Most importantly, lead with compassion, integrity, and purpose.

One of the biggest challenges in behavioral health is ensuring that children and families have timely access to quality services, particularly as the need for mental health support continues to grow. One of the unique challenges in my work is implementing a statewide program while recognizing that every school has its own culture, strengths, challenges, and individual needs. Creating consistency across a system while allowing communities the flexibility to meet their specific needs requires collaboration, communication, and adaptability.

At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity in strengthening collaboration across schools, behavioral health, child welfare, and community systems. We have an opportunity to move beyond simply responding to crises and focus more on prevention, early intervention, and building strong systems of support. I believe the future of behavioral health is rooted in innovation, collaboration, and meeting communities where they are.

The values most important to me are faith, integrity, compassion, family, and service. My faith is the foundation of who I am and guides how I lead, make decisions, and treat others. I believe in doing the right thing even when no one is watching, leading with compassion, and always being willing to serve and support others.

In both my personal and professional life, I value authenticity and relationships. I want people to know that I genuinely care, that I will always do my best to make a difference, and that I will lead with honesty, purpose, and heart.