Yamel V. Figueroa Sotomayor is a latin illustrator and character designer with a background in fine arts and visual development for animation. She has a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts (BFA)  from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in San Juan, Puerto Rico in traditional animation and film, and a Master Degree in Fine Arts (MFA)  from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, specialized in visual development for animation. In 2021, Yamel made her debut as a children's book illustrator. Her talent and dedication have been recognized within the industry, winning various awards for her work. She currently works as a freelance illustrator, character designer and as a Director of Animation Department and art professor.