Makayla Gaitan

Makayla is a board-certified human services professional with a passion to help others. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Human Services from Lees-McRae College. She is also passionate about mental health and has been trained and certified in Mental Health First Aid and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention. As a low-income and first-generation college student, she has firsthand experience with the challenge of navigating college and is eager to help others on their journey. In addition to her personal knowledge, her experience working in various areas of higher education such as counseling, accessibility services, career services, and success coaching has taught her how education can bridge the gap between where students are and where they want to be. She is excited to continue this work with ReUp Education and help even more students overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.  

Makayla was born and raised in North Carolina and currently resides on the east coast of the state. During her free time, she enjoys the perks of being a dog mom, spending time with family and friends, playing board games, and doing arts and crafts.