Jara Montez

Freelance availability: 🟢

More things I've built 🔗

Educated Guess Substack

The Program Playground

Actual fun facts 😎

First job: Tae Kwon Do instructor

Worst job: Being the eldest sister. IYKYK.

Favorite fictional characters: Janine Teagues, Issa Dee, Arya Stark, The Fresh Prince, Maxine Shaw, Blossom (PPG), and Dana Scully

Favorite artist: Faith Ringgold

Tech stack: FigJam, Airtable, Webflow

I build scalable programs for growth and impact.

Some highlights:

Photo of the Pivot cohort smiling and holding certificates

Pivot Program

Building a no-cost workforce development initiative designed to introduce participants to in-demand tech skills.

Black and white photo of Webflow's Global Leader group in Peru smiling and posing.

Webflow Global Leaders

Designed the relaunch of the Webflow Global Leaders program, which offers support to 100+ global Webflow ambassadors.

Who I've built programs with

Program design & strategy

Design workforce and digital skills programs that actually work for your community.

💡 Best for orgs who need help shaping a new program idea, or fixing one that’s not working.

Program operations & launch support

Manage program operations—from launch to delivery—so your team can stay focused on the big picture.

💡 Best for orgs who need to pilot or scale a tech program quickly without expanding their team.

Community-centered tech education

Deliver digital literacy and tech education that’s approachable, practical, and built for real people

💡 Best for orgs that struggle to engage non-technical communities.

Testimonials

"As our lead Technology & Innovation facilitator, Jara Montez has done an extraordinary job introducing and instructing our global youth audience to UX/UI design. Jara brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm in the realm of technology. Our students went from beginners in Figma and Webflow to designing beautiful user personas, wireframes and prototypes."

Ian Elmore-Moore

Director, Beloved Community Leadership Academy, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change

"I would like to thank you for your leadership, commitment, dedication, patience and support for all of us cohort members. I have grown intellectually in this field 7x it feels like. As I prepare for future events coming up, I think my mission now will be finding a way to give back to the cohort as I grow in strengthening and supporting the community however I can. You are an awesome teacher and professor!"

Reagan Mutombo

Pivot participant

But wait, there's more!

I also facilitate workshops on tech, art, and program management skill building for youth and adults.

The Art of AI Prompts

Teaching students to tackle community problems through AI prompt design.

Black and white photo of a collage of a website wireframe for mental health services

Prototype for Good

Introducing students to the fundamentals of Figma prototyping.

Subscribe to Educated Guess

Just some long-form thoughts on education, culture, and tech.

Let's work

Available for program design + build, edtech consultation, and workshops.

Artist

I studied art in undergrad with hopes of working for Pixar. That didn't work out, but I'm still doing art and community-focused initiatives!

Jara.Studio

With a background in art and education, my portfolio can be defined as a child's textbook, reimagined. My work consists of mixed media collages, bold illustrations, and educational tools.

One Pot Studio

My store full of cool doodles on paper and the occasional homage to donuts.

The Vanguards

THE VANGUARDS, which started as a grad school project, is a collection of Black women who have made a remarkable impact on society. Sharing a tune with the original definition of vanguard, we define popular culture, spark social movements, and break records.