Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez is a storyteller, advocate, and the author of "My Side of the River", a memoir published in February 2024. Born and raised near the U.S.-Mexico border in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth's upbringing was marked by resilience and determination. At 15, when her parents were forced to return to Mexico due to issues with their immigration status, Elizabeth chose to remain in the U.S., navigating homelessness while fiercely pursuing her education. Her journey from adversity to achievement culminated in her graduation as valedictorian, a testament to her unwavering resolve. Elizabeth pursued higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 2018, earning a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Upon graduating, Elizabeth worked in finance as one of the few Latinas on the trading floor within Wells Fargo’s Markets division. In February 2020, she was selected from 1000 internal Wells Fargo applicants to participate in Wells Fargo’s Ignite partnership with the TED Institute. Her TED Talk recounts her story of finding opportunity and stability in the U.S. while examining flaws in narratives that simplify and idealize the immigrant experience. Within a month, her talk reached over a million views. In June of 2021, Elizabeth transitioned from working in finance to technology, becoming a Product Manager at Meta where she hopes to continue to use her background and knowledge to empower communities.