Community, Creativity, and Code: Meet Ember Coding Lab

Tell us your backstory: What was your path to owning a business in Del Mar Village? Did you grow up here? Why did you choose Del Mar Village to set up shop?

I was born in Paraguay, South America, where my grandfather served as a Senator and my grandmother founded and managed a K-12 private school. Belonging to and serving the community was more than dinner table conversation, it was the foundation of how I understood the world. My family moved to the East Coast when I was in elementary school, and years later, I moved to San Diego with my own family.

Since moving to San Diego, I've been searching for a place that feels the way I do about community. When we started teaching kids to code in Del Mar, I knew immediately this was the right place. Here's a community where families fundraise to ensure kids have an excellent STEAM+ education, where local businesses support each other, and where residents care about preserving what makes this village special.

Tell us about your business. What should people know about it? What makes it unique?

We teach kids ages 6-12 computer science and AI at the Surf and Turf Tennis Center. Kids start with Roblox coding, shifting from playing games to building them, then level up to Python when they're ready.

But here's what matters most to me: I want kids to feel powerful. Not just confident or competent, but powerful. Take Nikos, our 10-year-old student who's been running his own keychain business for almost two years. When he designed a special Ember penguin keychain for us, he didn't stop there. He taught a group of our students how to 3D print their own. That's what we're building: a community where kids learn impressive skills, support each other, and realize they can create things that matter.

What is one product or service you are most known for or is particularly special to you?

Roblox coding, hands down. It's special because it solves a problem parents worry about: how do we give kids technology skills without turning them into passive consumers? 

Our course is built on MIT Media Lab's constructionist principle that kids learn by creating things that matter to them. Instead of waiting for kids to stumble into creation, we're giving them the tools and mentorship to create from day one.

Tell us one fun fact about your business most people don't know.

This is my second coding school. I co-founded Coder Kids on the East Coast in 2016, where we taught thousands of kids across five states. Our students won regional and national coding competitions and two even started an award-winning nonprofit. What makes me proudest? Some of my students, now in college, still reach out to me, to their instructors, and to each other. 

What do you love about Del Mar Village?

The people who care for it. The DMVA team doesn't just talk about supporting local businesses and maintaining character; they live it. When we volunteered for the Keep Del Mar Green cleanup, we watched 50+ neighbors spend their Saturday morning picking up trash to protect our coastline, all expertly guided by the DMVA team. When you see that kind of dedication in action, you know you're in the right place. Del Mar chooses to be intentional about its future, and organizations like DMVA are proof that it works.

How would you spend the perfect day in Del Mar? Where would you go? What would you eat or do?

My family of four would start with pastries and chai at Darshan Bakery, then head to Powerhouse Park where my five-year-old daughter would spend hours playing. For lunch, Tamarindo is our go-to, followed by dessert at Saffron & Rose or An's Hatmakers.

In the summertime, when my husband and I can steal away for date night, Comedy Nights at L'Auberge is a favorite.