Today we’d like to introduce you to Leila San Jose.
Leila, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in the Bay Area, California, and am a second-generation Filipina American. As the eldest of two daughters, I was raised in a Christian household where faith, family, and service shaped my early years. I later enlisted in the United States Air Force, becoming the first woman in my family to serve. During my six years of service, including a deployment, I learned resilience while overcoming personal challenges that ultimately strengthened my character.
After leaving the military, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Website Design with honors, built a career in graphic design, and later pursued a master’s degree while working full-time. Along the way, I discovered a passion for retail, client experience, conscious beauty, and building meaningful community connections through events and design.
The greatest challenge of my life came while balancing work, graduate school, and caring for my father during the final years of his life. As his health declined, I helped care for him by taking him to dialysis, assisting with daily needs, and supporting my family through an incredibly difficult season.
After my father passed away, I took some time away from work to be with my family and process our loss. However, I also knew I didn’t want to be away for too long. Returning to work gave me purpose, routine, and an opportunity to continue serving others while carrying the lessons my father left with me.
Every chapter of my life—from military service and overcoming adversity to design, leadership, caregiving, and loss—has shaped my resilience and strengthened my belief that the greatest impact we can make is through compassion, service, and helping others.
Today, in my current role at Cuyana, I love connecting people—whether it’s helping clients discover pieces they’ll love for years to come or building partnerships that bring our local community together. Cuyana means “to love,” and that’s the experience I strive to create for every client who walks through our doors. I want each person to feel welcomed, understood, and cared for, while creating meaningful experiences and genuine connections that extend beyond a single purchase.
Every chapter of my life—from military service and overcoming adversity to design, leadership, caregiving, and loss—has shaped my resilience and strengthened my belief that the greatest impact we can make is through compassion, service, and helping others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Throughout my life, I have faced challenges that have shaped my resilience, strengthened my character, and reinforced my commitment to serving others.
As the first woman in my family to join the United States Air Force, I adapted to the demands of military life, including a deployment, while developing discipline and leadership. During my service, I also overcame an emotionally abusive relationship that affected my well-being and confidence, teaching me the importance of resilience and self-worth.
After leaving the military, I earned my bachelor’s degree with honors and later pursued my master’s degree while working full-time. Balancing work and school required perseverance and determination, but it prepared me to manage competing responsibilities and continue growing both personally and professionally.
My greatest challenge came while caring for my father during the final years of his life. While balancing graduate school and work, I helped take him to dialysis, assisted with his daily care, and supported my family through his illness. After he passed away, I took time to grieve before returning to work, where I found purpose in serving others and moving forward.
My career has taken me from military service to graphic design, retail leadership, client experience, and community partnerships. Today, at Cuyana, I enjoy creating meaningful connections—whether helping clients find pieces they’ll love or collaborating with local organizations. Cuyana means “to love,” and that is the experience I strive to create for every client: to make them feel welcomed, understood, and genuinely cared for.
These experiences have taught me that resilience is built through adversity and that the greatest impact we can make comes from leading with compassion, service, and authentic human connection.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a freelance graphic designer, I partner with businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations to bring their ideas to life through thoughtful visual design. My work includes branding, marketing materials, digital content, event collateral, and social media assets, with a focus on creating designs that are both visually compelling and strategically effective.
As a Client Experience Lead at Cuyana, I create personalized shopping experiences by understanding each client’s unique needs and helping them find timeless, functional pieces they’ll love for years to come. Beyond styling, I cultivate lasting client relationships, lead community partnerships and in-store events, and collaborate with local businesses to create meaningful experiences that reflect Cuyana’s philosophy of intentional living. Guided by Cuyana’s meaning—”to love”—I strive to make every client feel welcomed, understood, and genuinely cared for.
I also serve as a Clean Beauty Awards judge, where I evaluate beauty and personal care products based on their ingredients, performance, and overall user experience. This role reflects my passion for conscious beauty and helping consumers make informed decisions about the products they choose.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I would like to thank my parents, Apolinario and Lydia, for instilling in me the values of faith, compassion, perseverance, and service. I am especially grateful to my mother, sister, extended family, my boyfriend, my girlfriends, and my best friend, Kyrie, for their unwavering love and support, especially during my father’s illness. I also thank my father, whose resilience and strength continue to inspire me every day. I am grateful to my mentors, military leaders, professors, colleagues, and my managers at Rothy’s for believing in me and helping me grow as a leader. Thank you to Cassandra McClure for introducing me to conscious beauty and inspiring my passion for community and education. Emma & Hector from Vince, for believing in me, challenging me to grow, and supporting me through the loss of my dad. Finally, thank you to my Cuyana Stanford team—especially my manager, Natalie, for her guidance and encouragement, and Jenna for her continued support. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has helped shape both my personal and professional journey.
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