Alba Nery Simon migrated to the United States in the early 1980s, where her family lived in New York City and later settled in Jersey City, New Jersey. Growing up in an urban environment inspired her to pursue Architecture as a career. She attended New Jersey Institute of Technology, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture in 2001. She also attended Pratt University and obtain a 3D visualization and Animation certificate. After working for several years in the Architecture field as a Project Manager, she was inspired to explore the field of education. Mrs. Simon has since dedicated herself to sharing her passion for design and building and serving as a mentor and role model for young people. Currently, she teaches the Industrial Design and Animation class at High Tech High School, and is a facilitator for the Robotics program. Her goals in the classroom are to ignite a lifelong passion for learning and creativity, and to cultivate a strong work ethic that will transfer to various careers. Through these endeavors; she continues to inspire students to pursue fields in STEM and Architecture and Design. On her time off she enjoys playing sports such as basketball and volleyball and spends time with her two young children, husband, and family.