Iona Popa (‘14), M. Ed (‘16) is currently pursuing a Masters of Nursing degree at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend. Originally from San Francisco, California, she graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2014 with a BA in the Program of Liberal Studies. She was a proud member of ACE 21 and taught English and Art History at Tampa Catholic High School. After graduating from ACE, she returned to her Alma Mater to teach English and Latin, coach Volleyball, and lead wilderness backpacking trips at The Thacher School in Ojai, California for four years. She then returned to Notre Dame to work for ACE’s Program for Educational Access, which was her first foray into education policy. Her recent career change to Nursing is the result of a long but joyful discernment process, and she hopes to care for mothers and newborns as a Labor and Delivery Nurse, with the eventual goal of one day becoming a nurse educator. She currently lives in South Bend with her husband, Tyler, and their two golden retrievers, one of whom is a recent (and rambunctious) addition to the family.