Counseling » Meet your Counselors

Meet your Counselors

 

Mariah Mu'Min

 

Ms. M is excited to be at North Mountain Middle School working with all of the amazing students here. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychological Sciences from CSU San Marcos and her Master’s degree with a dual concentration in Professional and School Counseling from CSU San Bernardino. Ms. M got into counseling because she believes that all students have the power to change the world and she wanted to be a part of that change. 

 

In her free time Ms. M enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, and spending time with her friends and family. She is a huge basketball fan and her favorite teams are the Lakers and Bulls.

 

Irma Marquez-Lopez

Mrs. Marquez-Lopez is excited to join the North Mountain Middle School team and work with all the fantastic students. She was born and raised in the city of Oxnard in Ventura County but recently moved to San Jacinto. Mrs. Marquez-Lopez graduated from CSU Channel Islands with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and then received her Master’s degree in School Counseling from Capella University. She decided to be a school counselor to help make a difference by removing barriers to ensure that all students' basic needs are met so they can be successful. Her emotional stability and passion for student success will contribute to the learning environment every student deserves. 

She loves spending her free time with her husband and two daughters and enjoys returning to Oxnard to visit her family. When she is not at school, she is usually out on a field watching her daughters play softball.

 

Araceli Padilla

Ms. Padilla was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and raised in San Jacinto, California since she was just a year and a half old, is deeply rooted in her community and culture. A proud graduate of San Jacinto High School and Mt. San Jacinto College, she went on to earn both her Bachelor’s in Human Development with a focus on Child Development and her Master’s in Counseling—with a dual concentration in Professional and School Counseling—from Cal State San Bernardino.

Araceli chose the path of school counseling because she believes deeply in the power of support, empathy, and authentic connection. Centered on the needs of her students, she fosters a space where young people can grow by embracing their culture, recognizing their strengths, and navigating their personal journeys.

Outside of her professional life, Araceli values quality time with family and friends, loves exploring new places, and finds joy in dancing to Spanish and electronic music. She’s also passionate about uplifting voices in the first-generation Latina community and advocates for mental health through thought-provoking podcasts and conversations.