Latino Leaders

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an authentic conversation with his featured guest — Barbara Soares Gould . Barbara was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and moved to New Jersey at the age of six with her mother and sister.  She is now a wife and mother of three, having spent more than 20 years in education as a teacher, literacy coach, assistant principal, principal, and director of counseling.  Today, Ba...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a riveting conversation with his featured guest — Ruth Pérez . Ruth is the deputy superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education in California, with over 20 years of experience as a superintendent.  She is a proud Puerto Rican and former English language learner.  Ruth champions equity for underserved youth, mentors Latino leaders, and has led transformative...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enriching conversation with his featured guest — Raymond Sanchez . Ray is the superintendent of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns in New York.  He has been widely applauded for his efforts in promoting instructional equity, closing achievement gaps, and initiating programs that encourage community involvement in meaningful ways.  Ray is the New York State Superinten...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a warmhearted conversation with his featured guest — Carlos Ramirez . Carlos is the proud principal of Randolph Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia.  He is in his seventh year as principal of his vibrant International Baccalaureate (IB) world school, which also happens to be a Title I school.  Carlos is a dedicated educational leader who is deeply committed to nurtur...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a transparent and authentic conversation with his featured guest — Elizabeth Álvarez . Elizabeth has more than 15 years of leadership experience, having served as an assistant principal, principal, and Network 8 chief in the Chicago Public Schools.  She is a bilingual educator with a Ph. D. in curriculum and instruction.  As the first female and Latina superintendent of t...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an honest and vulnerable conversation with his featured guest — Juan Santos . Juan is proud to be the president-elect of the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA), an organization that supports administrators throughout California.  He is currently the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Ventura County Office of Educat...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a fascinating conversation with his featured guest — Joanne Fimbres . Joanne is the proud chief financial officer for the Pendergast Elementary School District in Phoenix, Arizona.  She has 25 years of educational experience.  Joanne is a strong, award-winning Latina leader who is responsible for budget, finance, and operations for her school district. 1:03 - Introduction...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a powerful conversation with his featured guest — Miguel Castillo . Miguel is the director of bilingual education and early childhood programs at the Elgin Independent School District in Texas.  His educational career spans 30 years, and he has experience at the teacher, principal, director, and executive level.  Miguel is a former immigrant and migrant farm worker who no...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enlightening conversation with his featured guest — Gabriella Bermea . Gabriella is a senior associate and architect at Perkins Eastman.  She was raised along the Texas-Mexico border and brings a unique perspective to her work, ensuring that every design is a reflection of the people it serves—honoring culture, history, and the diversity of needs across rural and urban...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an inspiring conversation with his featured guest — Jorge Lopez . Jorge was not supposed to become a teacher, counselor, CEO, or member of the California State School Board.  In fact, based on the statistics, he wasn't supposed to make it at all.  Jorge, a former high school dropout, has a deeply personal mission: to break the cycle of underachievement and disconnect...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an informative conversation with his featured guest — Melissa España . Melissa has dedicated 28 years of her life to education, with 19 of those years serving as an administrator.  Being a proud Latina woman, she has had the opportunity to work in various urban school districts in New Jersey.  Melissa is focused on providing the best possible education to the communities...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a delightful conversation with his featured guest — Liteove Rodriguez-Tighe . Lita is an educational consultant specializing in early childhood education.  She was the director of early childhood education for the Passaic Public Schools in New Jersey.  Lita successfully led a preschool program whose classrooms are featured on the New Jersey Department of Education website...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a wonderful conversation with his featured guest — Yolanda Valdez . Yolanda is a seasoned educator with an unwavering dedication to improving students' lives through education.  With an impressive career spanning 34 years, she has touched countless hearts and minds, leaving an indelible mark on the educational landscape.  Yolanda has a great passion for empowering le...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an interesting conversation with his featured guest — Marcela Andrés . Marcela is the president and CEO of designEDengagement, a Latina-owned education consulting company headquartered in Texas.  She is the author of the book Purposeful Educator Connections: Five Principles to Strengthen Relationships with Students .  Marcela maintains an unwavering belief in the transfor...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an engaging conversation with his featured guest — Raquel Martinez . Raquel is the planning principal for Sageview High School in Pasco, Washington.  In addition, Raquel serves as the 2024-2025 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Board President. 1:03 - Introduction 1:49 - My Leadership Story 13:41 - Principal 16:08 - NASSP President 21:52 - Educat...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an invigorating conversation with his featured guest — Leslie Torres-Rodriguez . Leslie has woven her personal journey into her mission as superintendent and CEO of the Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut.  Her leadership is characterized by its cultural courage, fostering environments that support holistic student growth.  Having arrived in Hartford as a multilingual...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a thought-provoking conversation with his featured guest — Fiorella Cabrejos . Fiorella is a master principal at the New York City Public Schools.  She has dedicated her career to building opportunities by dismantling apathy and mediocrity in education, particularly for children from historically marginalized communities. 1:03 - Introduction 1:48 - My Leadership Story 16:...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a revealing and vulnerable conversation with his featured guest — A.C. Cristales . A.C. is a speaker, author, and an advocate for educational empowerment and organizational culture.  He has delivered professional development programs across the United States and in Central America, striving to enhance educational practices and environments.  A.C. emphasizes the positive i...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an open and honest conversation with his featured guest — Johanna Moya Fábregas . Johanna is a dedicated Latin American immigrant with 20 years of experience in education.  She currently serves as the executive director of Con Mi MADRE, a non-profit organization operating in Central Texas and Austin. 1:03 - Introduction 1:48 - My Leadership Story 21:34 - Con Mi MADRE 36:5...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a heartfelt conversation with his featured guest — Ivonne Díaz-Claisse . Ivonne is the founder and CEO of Hispanics Inspiring Students’ Performance and Achievement (HISPA), a nonprofit organization with the mission of inspiring students to discover their potential and igniting their desire to embrace education and achieve success.  Ivonne was born in Puerto Rico, and her...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an uplifting conversation with his featured guest — Javier Cortez Infantas . Javier was born and raised in Lima, Peru.  He moved to the United States to attend business school.  Javier is currently the Deputy Chief of Finance at Leading Educators.  Throughout his career, Javier has served as a private equity manager, head of finance for a motion picture unit of Intercorp,...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a delightful conversation with his featured guest — Peter Cordero . Pete is from Los Angeles, CA, and comes from a family of educators.  He has a strong passion for education and the belief that all kids can achieve, with an effective teacher being the key factor.  Pete has a diverse background in the private and public sectors, leading various K–12 non-profit and school...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a riveting conversation with his featured guest — David Arencibia . David is a renowned educational leader, speaker, leadership development trainer, and author of Foundations of an Elite Culture .  With over two decades of experience in various educational roles, David has dedicated his career to empowering those around him through intentional and positive leadership. 1:0...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an encouraging conversation with his featured guest — Alma Gonzalez de Castillo . Alma is the assistant superintendent of schools for the Pflugerville Independent School District in Texas.  She is a researcher and a highly accomplished educator who leads the design of systems that create equitable learning environments for all students.  Alma takes most pride in developin...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a captivating conversation with his featured guest — Andrés Acebo . Andy is the proud first-generation son of Cuban exiles and a Hudson County native who grew up in Union City, New Jersey.  In January 2023, he became only the second Hispanic to serve as the leader of a four-year public institution of higher education in New Jersey.  Andy is the youngest known president to...