The Ignatian Career Track with Alyssa Perez Marquez

Wrapping up our first season of the podcast, we sit down with Alyssa Perez Marquez, who just started a new role at Cristo Rey San José. So far, all of our featured guests are currently in high school, college, or just starting their full-time professional careers. The intention to feature these impressive individuals was to demonstrate to our network—especially the young leaders in our Ignatian network—that leadership in the faith-doing-justice world is a role they can and should step into right now. Our choice to wrap up the array of leaders this season with Alyssa was also intentional. The recipient of ISN’s 2025 Moira O’Donnell Emerging Leader Award, Alyssa has a decade of professional experience under her belt and is an inspiring exemplar to all of our young leaders of how a rich and fulfilling career in justice advocacy can unfold. All told, Alyssa has been to nine Ignatian Family Teach-Ins for Justice, starting in high school and culminating in MC-ing one. She’s facilitated leadership programming for ISN and contributed to our reflection series. In short, ISN has received so much from Alyssa and is honored to have played a part in her formation as well.As her mentor, Patrick Furlong, the director of the Pam Rector Center for Service and Action at LMU mentions in our first segment, Alyssa’s impactful leadership is due to her authentic presence and the way that the perennial wisdom of Saint Ignatius flows through her. Alyssa was awarded the 2025 Moira O’Donnell Emerging Leader Award in San Francisco. Read about the award night celebrating justice here: https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2025/05/13/ignite-illuminates-san-francisco/Alyssa mentioned her reflection centering lessons on radical hospitality from her time as a Jesuit Volunteer in Belize. Read that reflection here: https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2024/07/15/trusting-in-radical-hospitality/Alyssa has written many reflections for ISN in our weekly Rise Up series and our annual Lenten series. Access all her contributions here: ​​https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/author/aperez/Patrick Furlong, Alyssa’s mentor at LMU, highlighted the impactful work he gets to participate in at the Pam Rector Center for Service and Action. Explore their work here: https://studentaffairs.lmu.edu/activities/centerforserviceandaction/