Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez is a storyteller, advocate, and author known for her work in immigration, resilience, and the American dream. At age 15, when her parents returned to Mexico due to immigration status issues, Camarillo Gutierrez chose to remain in the United States, navigating homelessness while pursuing her education. She graduated high school as valedictorian, attended an Ivy League university, worked on Wall Street, and became the legal guardian of her younger brother before turning 25.

After graduating at the top of her class, Camarillo Gutierrez was accepted to multiple Ivy League universities and earned a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, she appeared on NPR's "Latino USA" and was named Scholar of the Year by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. She received several awards and fellowships, including the U.S. Department of State Gilman Scholarship Program. Her academic journey also included supplementary programs at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Queen Mary University of London, and Harvard Business School.

Camarillo Gutierrez gained national attention with her TED Talk addressing the complexities of America's relationship with immigrants. Selected from 1,000 Wells Fargo applicants to participate in Wells Fargo's Ignite partnership with the TED Institute, her talk explored the nuances of opportunity and stability in the United States and critiqued oversimplified narratives about the immigrant experience. The talk reached over 2 million views and led to a book deal with St. Martin's Press, an imprint of Macmillan.

She is the author of "My Side of the River," a memoir published by St. Martin's Press/Macmillan, which examines key issues often missing from traditional narratives about the American immigrant experience. Camarillo Gutierrez has been interviewed by NPR, and her book was recognized as a New York Times Editor's Pick, a People Magazine Best Book to Read in February, and one of Goodreads' Most Anticipated Books. The audiobook received positive reviews, with AudioFile noting that her narration is both lyrical and unapologetically real, capturing the complex emotions of her experiences and incorporating Spanish phrases for an intelligent, powerful performance.

Camarillo Gutierrez transitioned from finance to technology, becoming a product manager at Meta, where she leverages her background to empower communities. As a keynote speaker, she addresses topics such as immigration policy, financial literacy, diversity and inclusion, and personal resilience, providing insight for audiences across industries.