Valentina Pelaez

Founder of Your Bridge Mentor

Valentina Peláez was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and at the age of five, she moved with her family to Medellín, Colombia, where she studied until ninth grade. She later returned to the United States to complete high school at University High School in Orlando, Florida. Passionate about music, she always dreamed of becoming a professional singer, but moving internationally brought overwhelming challenges, and the goal of attending college began to feel out of reach.

As a first–generation, low–income student, Valentina had no roadmap. No guidance counselor with time to guide her. No one at home knew the educational system worked. No clear place to begin.

She knocked on doors, asked for help, and taught herself everything from high school programs to financial aid, scholarships, grants, essays, application deadlines, and college life. The process almost broke her; it brought anxiety, sleepless nights, overwhelming stress, and the constant fear of being left behind.

Everything changed when one mentor stepped in.

A teacher believed in her, guided her, and helped her continue to secure scholarships and grants that covered 100% of her university tuition—allowing her to attend one of Florida’s most prestigious institutions. That mentorship didn’t just change her education; it changed her future.

Valentina went on to earn her B.M. in Vocal Performance with a minor in Music Industry, and throughout her journey, she carried a burning desire to help students and families who feel as lost as she once did.

Today, that desire has a name: Your Bridge Mentor.

Lina Marcela Zapata

Vocational & Mental–Health Specialist

Lina was born and raised in Colombia, where, from a young age, she developed a deep curiosity for human behavior, personal growth, and the emotional forces that shape our decisions. Growing up in a community where students often lacked structured guidance and emotional support, she witnessed firsthand how many young people chose careers not out of purpose, but out of pressure, fear, or lack of clarity.

That early awareness sparked a lifelong commitment: to help others understand themselves, trust their abilities, and build a life path aligned with who they truly are.

She went on to study Psychology at the Universidad San Buenaventura, later specializing in Occupational Health Management and completing a master’s degree in Body Therapy—an approach that understands the profound connection between emotional well-being, stress, and decision-making.

For over 15 years, she has guided young people, adults, educators, and professionals through transformative vocational and personal-development processes. She has worked across universities, public institutions, major companies, and private practice, always with the same mission: to help people find clarity, purpose, and confidence in their next step.

Her career includes leading mental-health and psychosocial-risk programs for the Mayor’s Office of Itagüí, designing emotional-wellness and decision-making programs for university students, and advising companies on social-risk prevention. As a contractor for SURA, she became an expert in financial behavior—helping individuals understand how stress, mindset, and emotional patterns shape their financial decisions and their broader life choices.

For three years, she led training and talent-development programs at the Universidad San Buenaventura, supporting educators and employees in strengthening their emotional intelligence, communication skills, and professional growth.

Through all these roles, one truth became clear to her:
Choosing a professional path is not just an academic decision—it is an emotional journey.

Students don’t just need information.
They need accompaniment.
They need clarity.
They need someone who listens.
Someone prepared to guide them.

Today, she brings her years of experience in psychology, vocational guidance, mental health, and emotional resilience to Your Bridge Mentor, helping students and families navigate one of the most important journeys of their lives.

Ready to Find Your Direction?

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