• Social Justice - Anti-Racist Leadership
• Collaborative Capacity Building
• Advocacy and Outreach
• Education Policy
• Innovative Program Design and Administration
• Community and Cross-Organizational Collaboration
• Project Management
• Problem Solving
Professional Skills and Beliefs
An innovative, equity-driven leader with extensive experience in K-12 education, I am deeply committed to preparing school leaders who embody anti-racist principles and foster social justice. My work is grounded in strong relationships with educational leaders in the non-profit sector, elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels, and school board members throughout Southern California. These connections enable me to advocate effectively for educational equity and to bring diverse perspectives into program development. I focus on co-constructing knowledge with educators, building capacity through collaborative, community-oriented approaches, and creating strategic systems that empower leaders to drive sustainable, meaningful change. With a proven record of success in urban school settings, I am dedicated to cultivating a program that prepares socially conscious, action-oriented leaders for the evolving demands of California’s diverse K-12 educational landscape.
Professional Summary
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University of California, Los Angeles Dissertation: Bottom-up Accountability: How Leadership Teams in High-Need Schools Contextualize and Prioritize Their Work
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, University of California, Los Angeles Tier I and Tier II Administrative Credentials
M.Ed. in Social Studies Education, University of California, Los Angeles Single Subject Teaching Credential (BCLAD)
B.A. in Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Education
Director of Pilot School Support Los Angeles Unified School District November 2021 – Present
Program administration of 39 Pilot Schools, integrating values centered on equity, collaboration, personalization, and innovation.
Established systems to support schools and their use of autonomies over instruction, professional development, and curriculum design, including a focus on distributed leadership, principal hiring, and shared decision-making.
Developed relationships with central and region offices to support the work of site leaders and educators. This included district strategy, initiatives, and policies that led to district policy adoption and contract negotiations.
Collaborated with stakeholders across LAUSD to align the Pilot School model with state, district, and board goals, ensuring compliance and program evaluation while advocating for educator flexibility and autonomy.
Spearheaded programmatic initiatives focused on equity, facilitating partnerships with educational and community organizations to enhance resources and create inclusive, supportive environments for leaders and students alike. This included the Pilot School Fall Retreat, Spring Conference, and yearlong workshops and training.
Legislative Committee Chair Association of California School Administrators November 2021-Present Advised on statewide education policy on behalf of ACSA Region 16 (LAUSD)
Advocated for anti-racist legislation and supported policy that protects the rights of LGTBQIA students. Including a focus on mental health, access to materials that embody the history and richness of diversity in our state, and changes to credentialing policy that ensure we meet labor force demands.
Participate in annual legislative action days in Sacramento, meeting with legislators to discuss the support of educational legislation to support public schools.
Council Member
City of Cudahy December 2022 – PresentOversee City budget while championing equity and social justice policies focused on improving the quality of life for families in our community.
Implemented the first rent-stabilization ordinance in Cudahy history
The first city in Southern California to pass a cease-fire resolution, wrote a resolution to protect the right of students to peacefully protest on public university campuses, led the approval of a domestic violence prevention resolution, a school and district compact, and established working committees on city beautification, food vendor policy, and community safety.
Advocated for educational access, establishing the SELA University Send-Off as a regionwide post-secondary celebration, reinforcing a community-wide culture of college attainment—increased civic engagement through cross-organizational collaboration.
Principal
Communication and Technology School Los Angeles Unified School District July 2014 – October 2021Transformed the school into a community school, achieving significant increases in graduation rates (from 59% to 84%) and college-going rates, with a focus on anti-racist and culturally relevant practices.
Managed a multimillion-dollar budget and developed and implemented professional development structures focused on restorative practices, culturally responsive curriculum, and advisory systems, enhancing the school’s support for students’ academic and social-emotional needs.
Evaluated teacher and administrator performance using teacher and leadership frameworks and rubrics.
Engaged in cognitive coaching practices.
Affiliations and Fellowships
2024 Latina of the Year, Bell Chamber of Commerce
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), Legislative Committee Chair
Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA)
Stanford Hollyhock Principals Fellowship
Racial Equity Leadership Academy, USC and LAUSD
Emerge California
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
