Ynez is from southeast Los Angeles, and a first-generation college graduate with a B.S. in Organismal Biology from University of California Long Beach. Her master's research looks at community-level avian mobbing behavior across an urban gradient in Los Angeles, California. She is passionate about environmental justice and equity in the field of conservation. She enjoys looking for wildlife in urban ecosystems, and has a wide interest in all fauna and flora. In her downtime, she enjoys watching horror movies and series, practicing her hand-sewing skills, and spending time with her pets.