Estilla is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico in Theater Performance. She then taught high school Special Education for three years at Walter L. Cohen High School in New Orleans. For two of those years, she was the Department Chairperson.
In 2010, Estilla matriculated into the Master of Social Work program at Tulane University, where she served a year internship in the Mayor's Office of Constituent Studies, and received her Master of Social Work degree with a Disaster Mental Health Certificate. She then returned to New Mexico, where she spent three years as a bilingual child, adolescent, and family therapist, and earned her LCSW. During this time she taught the Psychological First Aid classes for the American Red Cross in various locations across the state.
Estilla returned to New Orleans in 2015 to study on the social work track in the City, Culture, and Community program. She has taught courses in disaster mental health, collective trauma, and community organizing. She has presented at multiple national social work and education conferences, including Society for Social Work and Research, Counsel on Social Work Education, and National Association for Multicultural Education. She has been published in various formats on trauma and resilience, restorative practices, and education policy.
General and special education policy and practice, trauma and resilience from an ecological perspective, restorative and transformative justice, and culturally affirming and sustaining practices.
