Lorena Micaela Pesantez Rodriguez joined the Sanar Institute as a Resiliency Fellow in September 2025. Micaela is Ecuadorian and moved permanently to the United States two years ago. She has a background in medicine, providing care to underserved communities, particularly during her rural year living in the Ecuadorian jungle. This experience inspired her to continue her education in a setting where she could connect with and support people in more intimate and impactful ways.
She is currently in her second and final year of the full-time Social Work program at Montclair State University. In addition to her clinical focus, Micaela now supports the administrative and operational functions at the Sanar Institute, including office management, program coordination, communications, and staff support. She values creating organized, welcoming, and efficient environments that help both clients and colleagues thrive.
Micaela believes every person has the right and autonomy to work on themselves in the way that feels most appropriate. Her goal is to foster spaces where individuals can find their own path to healing while being accompanied and supported.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her big extended family, slow weekends in nature with her husband, and listening to Latin music that brings her joy.