How one doctor’s dual passions drive her support for Bay Area corps members
November, 2024
Dr. Christina (Tina) Mata
Rio Grande Valley ‘16
UC San Francisco, Psychiatry Resident
As a practicing psychiatrist in San Francisco, Dr. Tina Mata (Rio Grande Valley ‘16) sees her current work and time in the classroom as parallel paths to helping people live lives of true choice. She treats patients across a wide spectrum of conditions and frequently encounters anxiety, depression, and insomnia—three disorders that are very common among newer teachers, according to Tina. “The more I learned to manage and treat different conditions, the more I wished someone would have told me all this as a corps member. I wished there was someone who could bridge that knowledge gap.” So, Dr. Mata took it upon herself to become that “someone.” She now works closely with Bay Area corps members, running a form of group therapy teaching psycho-educational skills. The sessions help corps members develop “really tangible skills and behaviors” to counter the often intense and stressful transition into the classroom.
Growing up in a rural community in the Rio Grande Valley, teachers and doctors were equally revered. “Educators were highly respected; education was seen as a pathway to a higher socioeconomic status,” explains Tina. Her K-12 experience was stuffed with phenomenal teachers who fostered her interest in STEM subjects, which eventually led her to study pre-med at Brown University. She was a STEM tutor for high-school juniors from unrepresented backgrounds during college. Through this experience, Tina realized that it was not only STEM subjects that she loved. Partnering with students to build understanding and confidence also brought her immense joy. So, instead of enrolling in medical school after graduation as planned, she joined Teach For America in 2016 and returned to her community in the Rio Grande Valley to teach high school math.
Tina’s time in the corps was the most rewarding and challenging years of her life. She was hired as a high school teacher, spanning students’ teenage years—an age group she still loves. “Adolescents are where it’s at for me,” Tina shares through laughter, “Because they’re so unpredictable, curious, open-minded, and ripe for change.” As a teacher, she built an inclusive and engaging classroom, allowing students to reflect on their identities and focus on their growth as learners and leaders. Lesson planning, after-school credentialling classes, reviewing student data, connecting with other teachers, and school extracurricular activities meant Tina went nonstop during her first semester as a teacher. Unsurprisingly, she hit a wall about six months in. Luckily, she had built a network of support made up of her family, fellow corps members, and teachers. “I had exceptional mentor teachers who had really great advice during my first two years, and I made many lifelong friends in the corps—I’m so grateful for all of them.”
Despite completing medical school, Tina still considers teaching the “hardest thing” she’s ever done. “Even in my toughest weeks as a doctor, I’ve never gotten close to that level of exhaustion or the constant pressure,” she explains. This is why she’s so dedicated to holistically supporting corps members, arming them with the tools to find balance and ensure their mental and emotional well-being. “I love and admire teachers. It’s such a rewarding career—sculpting young minds and helping young citizens come into themselves—but that comes at a cost.” Tina wants to create more sustainability in the teaching profession and constantly advocates for more dedicated resources and on-the-ground support for educators. “We can’t let perfect stand in the way of good. We must try, and try again to move the needle for teachers and students. The work never ends.”
