Latino Leaders

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enlightening conversation with his featured guest — Cissy Reynolds-Perez . Cissy is the superintendent of schools in her hometown of Kingsville, Texas.  She is the 2014 Texas High School Principal of the Year and the 2006 Texas Elementary School Principal of the Year.  Cissy lives by the motto: Teamwork works! Faith makes all things possible! 1:03 - Introduction 1:46 -...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a thought-provoking conversation with his featured guest — Danny Mendez . Danny is the principal of North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.  His 23-year career has spanned the entire K–12 spectrum.  Danny is a multi-award-winning educational leader.  He has dedicated his career to proving that students' circumstances don't have to dictate their outco...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enriching conversation with his featured guest — Gustavo Balderas . Gustavo is the superintendent of the Beaverton School District, the third-largest school system in Oregon.  He is a nationally recognized leader who is the current president of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents and president of AASA, the national school superintendent associa...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a kindhearted conversation with his featured guest — Lemuer Perez . Lemuer is a Puerto Rican educator.  He was raised in New Jersey and has worked in public education, charter schools, university, and the private sector.  Lemuer was awarded the 2020–2021 Top 100 Innovative Educators in the World and is the 2022 Jersey City Puerto Rican Principal of the Year. 1:03 - Introd...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an informative conversation with his featured guest — John Martinez Jr. John has served as an educator for 23 years across multiple school districts in Texas.  He was the 2018 Texas ASSP Principal of the Year.  He is an outside-of-the-box visionary leader who believes schools should be more about powerful learning moments versus prepping for a standardized test. 1:03 - In...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a fascinating conversation with his featured guest — Martha Salazar-Zamora . Martha has served as an educator for over 36 years.  She is the first female and first Hispanic superintendent of the Tomball Independent School District, which is one of the highest academically achieving school districts in Texas.  Martha is the 2023 Texas Superintendent of the Year, the 2024 A...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an inspiring conversation with his featured guest — Stephanie Parra . Stephanie is the Executive Director of ALL In Education, a nonprofit organization that aims to ensure that the communities most impacted by education inequities are the ones making decisions for ALL students.  Stephanie is a first-generation American originally from Yuma, Arizona.  She is passionate abo...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a warmhearted conversation with his featured guest — María Isabel Rijos . María is the director of the Upward Bound program at Kean University in New Jersey.  She was an associate director with a 33-year career at Fordham University in New York. María has dedicated her professional life to the education of first-generation and low-income children. 1:03 - Introduction 1:49...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an invigorating conversation with his featured guest — Francisco Durán . Francisco is the superintendent of schools for the Arlington Public Schools in Virginia.  In addition, he has served in various roles as a teacher, director, principal, and administrator.  Francisco has a diverse background in education spanning 30 years, including top-level leadership experience in...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an uplifting conversation with his featured guest — Jarlyn Veras . Jarlyn is the chief school administrator for the Frelinghuysen Township School District in New Jersey.  She is the daughter of Dominican immigrants and a first-generation American.  Jarlyn has been a public school educator for 19 years.  She is passionate about creating high-quality early childhood program...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a captivating conversation with his featured guest — Vivian Rodriguez . Vivian is an educational consultant and a member of the Morris School District Board of Education in New Jersey.  She was an assistant superintendent of schools in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and an associate dean of the College of Education at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.  Vivian is the co-auth...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enlightening conversation with his featured guest — Raymond González . Ray is a dedicated Puerto Rican educator with over 25 years in education and has been a superintendent of schools for 13 years across various environments.  His broad experience fosters an inclusive, adaptive leadership style, keen on serving every student's needs. 1:03 - Introduction 2:00 - My...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an honest and refreshing conversation with his featured guest — Alma Morel . Alma is a seasoned professional with 25 years of dedication to the field of education.  She has worked in administrative roles at schools and the central office, at the New Jersey Department of Education, and she has served as a board of education member.  Alma brings a wealth of experience and i...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an informative conversation with his featured guest — Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana . Thelma is a former bilingual teacher, principal, superintendent, and Assistant Secretary of Education for the US Department of Education.  Thelma dedicated her career to ensuring that all students, particularly disadvantaged ones, succeed in school through high-quality teaching and learni...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a riveting conversation with his featured guest — Peter Rosario . Peter is the President and CEO of La Casa de Don Pedro, which is the largest Latinx organization in New Jersey.  La Casa de Don Pedro is based in Newark, New Jersey.  The organization's work is centered around three key pillars:  Community Empowerment, Early Childhood, and Healthy Homes.  1:03 - Introd...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an encouraging conversation with his featured guest — Carlos Rodriguez . Carlos is a respected higher education leader and currently serves as Vice President of Administration and Strategic Analytics at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.  With his expertise in leveraging data for excellence, Carlos drives innovation and student success. 1:03 - Introduction 2:00 - My Le...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an inspiring conversation with his featured guest — Connie Sánchez . Connie is the Executive Director of Unity Charter School in Morristown, New Jersey.  Connie led Unity’s transformation from a Tier 3 to a Tier 1 school—the highest charter school ranking based on student academic performance.  She credits her school’s success to her "homegrown" team.  Connie is...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an enriching conversation with his featured guest — Raúl Burgos . Raúl is passionate about leadership and adding value to people.  He has invested in his community for 33 years.  Raúl believes in leaving a legacy and leaving a better world for future generations. 1:03 - Introduction 2:10 - My Leadership Story 18:00 - Board of Education 24:49 - Maxwell Leadership 35:26 - R...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an engaging conversation with his featured guest — Elise Genao . Elise is a passionate Cuban American educator with a rich background in early childhood education and school leadership.  She journeyed from being a dedicated preschool teacher to an instructional coach, adjunct professor, and now, a valued member of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER...

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a fascinating introduction to his new podcast — Latino Leaders . Latino Leaders podcast is dedicated to developing the leadership skills of current and prospective PreK-12 school administrators. 1:03 - Welcome to Latino Leaders  2:46 - Episode Overview 3:21 - Why Latino Leaders podcast? 5:32 - My Leadership Story 17:00 - Latino Identity 29:00 - Be My Guest 29:44 - Episode...