By joining the Latino Board Fellowship, she hopes to further the impact, define and influence strategy level work and fiduciary responsibilities of boards as it relates to matters of equity, access and belonging for BIPOC and other historically marginalized populations, particularly those who share the Latinx lived experience in Massachusetts. She provides support to teachers, instructional coaches, and campus administrators. Gonzalez is also an accomplished opera singer who has been praised for their vocal power and acting. In all these settings some of our guiding questions have been to understand and respond to the barriers that prevent students/families from accessing services and supports needed to learn and grow. Lilian has also received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Myrla Feria Nationality Myrla Feria holds an American Nationality. in Interpersonal Communications from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Carmona received his ED. Ms. Cruz is a proud Puertorriquea fully fluent in Spanish.s. She graduated from Elkins High School in 2009 and attended Texas A&M University. Shortly after her City Year, Gladys decided to pursue a career as an ESL teacher. Bianca De La Vega is an ESL/Bilingual Coach at Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. He then moved to corporate communications and was the communications and press director for two different Colombian state entities. She is looking forward to being part of the Latinos for Education Board Fellowship to collaborate with others to open spaces and bring more opportunities to the Latinx communities. Felicia previously served as the Managing Director of Program Strategy for two years before becoming Managing Director of College Success, where she was responsible for developing the philosophies and structures needed to support EMERGE students through college graduation. She looks forward to many more life experiences as she continues on her career path towards her goals. The 2019cohort oftheHoustonAspiring Latino Leader Fellowshipincludes: To access bios and photos of the 2019Aspiring Latino LeaderFellows, click here. Prior to Latinos for Education, Johana spent six years at City YearInc.where she worked on severalnationalstrategy and growth initiatives focused on expanding City Year to new markets, developing impact strategic plans across all local sites, and supporting the design, development, and spread of innovative school design practices. She was born and raised in Stockton, California the city that plays a pivotal role in her personal identity. Elvira has a passion for developing people and designing systems that foster equitable education pathways for all children. I grew up in Fort Bend County, earned a bachelors degree from the University of Houston Main Campus, earned a masters degree from Texas Southern University, and am currently completing my doctoral degree in Education Administration at Texas Southern University. As an immigrant and former ESL student, she understands the needs and lack of systemic and cultural knowledge that affect many immigrant families. Mara Gilyard is the Family and Community Organizer for Greater Houston at Latinos for Education. A sports lover, passionate about photography and telling stories, with a constant desire to impact peoples lives. Michelle is from Brownsville, Texas and was raised by her grandmother, Amelia. Dr. Frank Rojas is a purpose-driven leader committed to helping people and organizations grow into their purpose. Since then she taught for 10 years in the classroom and moved to a central office position in 2005. Jos Col serves as the Director of Greater Boston Programs at Latinos for Education where he oversees the planning and execution of local programs and services. Brian Iveli Gonzlez is a Mexican-American professional living in Boston who is currently the Vice President of Marketing at Sigo Segurosan inclusive auto insurance company focused on providing affordable coverage for the Spanish-speaking community in Texas. She also has a younger sister called Gloria Feria. After earning her Bachelors Degree, Moreno joined the Galena Park ISD team as a 4th grade teacher. Alexandrea is a proud native of East Side San Jose where she lives with her two children, Adam Kingston and Amaya Crecencia, and their father. Currently she serves as Director for Elementary Math and Science. In this role, she supports the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer. I am my ancestors' wildest dreams. Jos Eduardos and organizing and advocacy has resulted in successful policies and programs to tackle issues including wage theft, student debt, immigrant detention and deportation, and health disparities. Myrla Feria was the first contestant on Married At First Sight, Season 13, which premiered on 21 July 2021. . Hope Martinez was born and raised in rural Ohio. Currently, Christopher is a Family Liaison in the Boston Public Schools working onsite in the only free, public Montessori school in the BPS network. Currently she is a doctoral student at Baylor University where her focus is on learning design and organizational change. Prior to working at GPA, worked at another BPS therapeutic K -5 base program supporting students/families learning and health needs. In her free time, she enjoys listening to live music, traveling the world with her best friends, reading novels from authors across the diaspora and discovering new foods at unique restaurants. She received campus level recognition as Teacher of the Year in as well as Administrator of the Year. Betsy is driven by her experiences and values. Felicia has worked for over 20 years in college access, leadership development, and strategic planning for higher education institutions and non-profit organizations. Tienes que ser como la palma: fuerte, firme, e inamovible.. Before her tenure with EMERGE, Felicia served as the Associate Director for the Center for Civic Leadership at Rice University, where she supported the development and execution of domestic leadership programs that challenged high-achieving students at the undergraduate level. I currently work in the Business Office at Harris County Department of Education providing excellent financial services to our divisions and students. She brings over four years of experience in database administration, data analysis, and systems management. Samantha Aderserves as Latinos for Educations Managing Director of People & Organization Effectiveness. She began her teaching career in PR where she taught 7th grade Life Science and 4th-5th grade Environmental Science at Casa Pueblo in Adjuntas, PR. In this role, Shelby also manages grants totaling over $3.5million. Most recently, she served as the Managing Director of College Access at EMERGE. She enjoys reading, organizing, and going on hikes with her love ones. At Smith, she also teaches as a university lecturer, and runs several skill-building social-justice oriented fellowships. She then received her Master of Education in 2011 from the University of Houston main campus. She benefited from Houston ISDs minority to majority transfer program and attended area Gifted and Talented (Vanguard) educational programs. Dr. Julie Lara currently serves as the Director of the English Learner Support Division at the Texas Education Agency. In 2010, Ruby was bestowed with a city proclamation by Mayor Bill White, declaring August 4th Ruby Rivera Salsa Appreciation Day. She was placed in a third-grade ESL classroom, where she quickly felt connected and at home. With over 50 appearances on local, statewide, and national media, including, Houston Business Journal, Houston Chronicle, Fox26 Houston, NBC News, Univision, Telemundo, Texas Tribune, and USA Today. At any Aldine Campus, you can trust that students learn, students have many experiences, and most importantly, they are loved! Also, she has worked in academia as a professor of Translation Studies and Spanish Language. She continued her educational carrer in Aldine ISD but she moved to Anderson Acdemy in 1997 to be part of the district Fine Arts Magnet program. He is a native Texan and holds a B.S. In her current job, she works with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and students to ensure that every student has a personal graduation plan (PGP) and follows a career pathway in their desired endorsement to have a plan for postsecondary career success. He had a sparse relationship in childhood with his father and his Mexican family, but felt a deep connection with that part of his identity from an early age. 425 posts. She received a masters degree in Bilingual and ESL education after completing her alternative certification program. Prior toworking in the education nonprofit sector,Andy began his career in education as a teacher in low-income communities in Miami and New York City. Marina is the Chief Revenue Officer of OTW Safety, a safety barricade manufacturer founded in SLC, Utah. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants with her family, traveling, cooking, and binge-watching television shows. Myrla loves to travel, enjoys the finer things in life, and doesn't plan on changing or modifying her lifestyle in . Vivi Oliveira grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Throughout her career Maribel has been an advocate for bilingual students with communication impairments and specifically differentiating between a language difference versus disorder. She completed the Principal Program at Lamar University in the fall of 2021 and is currently working on her certification exams. Firm in her commitment to education and literature, Alma earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in English from Western New England University. Robert is currently the Director of Grants Management and Evaluation at The Brown Foundation, where he oversees both the technical components of grantmaking at the Foundation and the analysis of grant reporting and programmatic results. Leticia also oversees TNTPs strategy to support local, state, and national policymakers to create real and lasting changes in education. I focus on teaching the whole child through community support, parent workshops, and student involvement throughout the school. OTW Safety focuses on designing and manufacturing construction, event, and pedestrian safety barricades. Nakishas father immigrated from Iran in the 70s to go to college in the United States. After returning to the U.S., she joined Teach for America where she was placed in Houston, TX as a bilingual elementary teacher. Ivn J Tamayo is a specialist in the Family and Community Engagement department in Aldine ISD in Houston, TX. He now lives in Connecticut with his wife, and their two young daughters. Shelby has taught and served diverse communities, specializing in transformative pedagogy with underserved populations. Sabrina was born and raised in Miami to Cuban and Dominican immigrants. Serving as an educator in Bostons community of learners Armandos mission is driven by the notion that education is a gateway to freedom and effective education is about the actions we take to promote behaviors that bring equity of opportunity and equity of access to the students as well as the actions we take to disrupt the behaviors that create inequality in our community. Before joining the national Principal Preparation team, Luzdivina served the Rio Grande Valley as a Sr. Director of Leader Development for six years, coaching their Principals in Residence as they prepared to launch the newest schools in the region. Gabriela received her BA in Neuroscience from Emmanuel College as well as her Certification in Compensation Analysis through the Compensation Analyst Academy. I am Mexican American my Mom was born in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico and my Dads family is of Mexican decent but has lived in Texas for several generations. Before this work, Christopher spent the last decade working for the East Boston Social Centers, where he left his tenure there as a Program Director. Father of two sons ages 17 and 20 years old. Although she was successful working in the business world, she found that she was not impacting her community as much as she wouldve liked to. As a leadership coach, Myrla has faith in other life experts to find her the perfect stranger to marry on Married at First Sight. She is also a member of the Education of Colors Coalition Leadership Team, co-chair of the Latinx Educator Resource group and founding member of the Educators of Color Mentorship Program in her district. In this role, she conceptualizes and implements a broad range of public programs related to the museums exhibitions and enhances community partnerships with local and national organizations. Aqu Estamos! A natural born linguist, she studied at the University of Rochester, where she earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in English with a minor in Psychology. Superintendent Paris holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, was an Academy Fellow at the Lynch Leadership Academy at Boston College in 2012, and served as a Teaching Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Educations School Leadership Program in 2013-14. She currently lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She immediately entered the Texas A&M masters program in Educational Psychology, focusing on Bilingual and Dual Language education while attaining her teaching certification. I also strive to make an impact outside of the classroom by serving as Curriculum Writer and Course Facilitator for the Math Leadership Team at YES Prep. Prior to Ellevation, Shirley led Brand and Digital Marketing at Curriculum Associates and served as Vice President at EF Go Ahead Tours and Tours for Girls Scouts. Aned Sanchez is the proud daughter of a single mom who immigrated to the United States from a small town in Jalisco, Mexico long before she was born. R.D. In 2016, she obtained a dual Associates degree in Business Management and Accounting from North Shore Community College followed by her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration in 2020. Position that gave her the opportunity to work side by side with district teachers, students, and families. She is a member of the Association for Financial Professionals. I was an Assistant Principal at Goodman for 6 years and 1 year at Gray Elementary. As CPIO, Karen directs and guides the overall vision, strategy, design, and evolution of all program areas nationallyand provides leadership around K-16 partnerships, fundraising, budget-setting, and organizational strategy. Later moving to the positions of ESL coordinator, academic achievement specialist, and now an Assitant Principal. He also is a member of the audit, finance, and nominating and governance committees of boards where he serves. As far as Jimmy can remember, his parents, both immigrants from Guanajuato, Mexico instilled the importance of education. She was raised by her mother and extended family and is a proud first-gen college student, graduating from Bowdoin College in 2010 with a double major in French and Anthropology. Bianca Vasquez was born in and raised in Hollister, CA to Mexican immgrant parents. At Breakthrough, her community poured so much into her and made her realize that the academic needs of our students is part of the story and she was limited on how much she was able to serve. She is passionate aboutequipping individuals and communities with the tools to participate in the political process, as well as the intersections between media, technology and civic engagement. My name is Jennifer Valencia, and I am a Colombian American who was born and raised in the city of Boston. She is currently focused on obtaining her Master of Science in Public Administration where she aims to continue to demonstrate that all is possible. Likethe nearly three millionLatino students across Texas,this yearsinauguralcohort includes Fellows fromacross the Latino diaspora. Michael decided to devote himself to educational equity work and seeking to expand his impact, he joined Achievement First as the Science Achievement Director and worked across schools to develop a science program curriculum used not only at Achievement First middle and high schools, but in many other classrooms and schools across the country. These education leaders areworking across the sectorincludinglocal K-12 schools(district and charter),education nonprofits, philanthropy and government agencies. Dr. Tovar maintains a genuine and profound commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion; and proactively ensures that the museum is a thought leader in social justice, human rights, genocide, and Holocaust education. She earned her Master of Education in Bilingual and Dual Language Education, from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. In 2015, Kelly was selected to join the Teach For America corps, where she began her tenure as a Special Education Teacher teaching grades 9-12. Sandra lives in Houston with her partner, son, and two dogs. I am a proud graduate of MacArthur High School. My name is Eduardo Garces. Ana has been an educator in the grades of kinder and 2nd grade. Laura is starting her 7 th year in education and is proudly serving as the Assistant Principal at Eckert Elementary in Aldine ISD; the school where she once attended as a fifth-grade student. I am honored and proud to start this new journey at Eckert Elementary, where students SOAR ABOVE THE REST! He earned a BA with Honors in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and is a graduate of the ICN Business School in France. Most recently, Kelly was involved in the distribution of over 3,000 chromebooks and hotspots to students in Chelsea during the school closure because of the COVID 19pandemic. Joshua then joined BrainCo, a brain-machine interface technology company. I strive to make an impact in my students lives through my daily interactions with them and the curriculum I create for my classes. Unfortunately, not every student gets seen like I did and therefore potential remains unleashed. In 2015, Mayor Annise Parker also declared Texas Salsa Congress Day for Houston, Texas. Myrla from Married at First Sight said she is used to international traveling and nice shoes and handbags. I am interested in continuing seeking solutions to better the quality of life for Latino families. Currently, Lupita serves her community as the proud Assistant Principal of Family Engagement and Administration and Founding OM at Rocketship Rising Stars Academy. Albert graduated from San Jose State with a BA in Sociology with a community change focus. She began her teaching career in Worcester Public Schools, and went on to serve as the Founding English teacher for the Academy of Health, Science, and Technology, a subset of Worcester East Middle School that catered to hands-on; project-based; heterogeneous learning. Joshua is a proud son of two diasporas, born to a Puerto Rican father and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother raised in New York City. I am an educational leader to help change the status quo of Latinas and the marginalized underserved! Claudia Urrea worked at the Interamerican Development Bank as a consultant in the education sector, and at One Laptop Per Child organization as Director of Learning. During high school and college, she volunteered and worked at the Region IV Migrant School, a summer school to provide additional academic support to children of migrant workers, as a way to learn more about her Mexican heritage and her grandfathers experiences as a migrant in his childhood. Hope studied abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico and after college, accepted a job in Oaxaca in the international education sector. Additionally, she works closely with the Language Arts Department to design and align the state standards, and create district assessments in Spanish. Working for a Dual-Language Elementary School, I identify myself as an advocate for multilingual students and multilingualism, Before my employment, I gained a Master of Education in School Counseling from Providence College. 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