As the Lead Impact Officer, Araceli oversees and provides comprehensive strategic and tactical support to the Policy Center’s work and implementation of its theory of change. Araceli manages all internal workstreams, including the strategy and operations for the state policy team, policy research, governmental relations, and federal policy and advocacy.
Araceli brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic planning, program development, and leadership coaching to her role. Before joining ZERO TO THREE, Araceli served as a Director in the Consulting Division for The New Teacher Project (TNTP), where she managed projects across the country to improve student outcomes in public schools by implementing impact initiatives to increase educator diversity, provide high-quality leadership development to teachers and school leaders, and engage parent and community members in instructional practice. Prior to TNTP, Araceli served as the Chief of Staff for KIPP St. Louis where she managed organizational development and the school district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion workstream. Before KIPP, Araceli was the Director of Policy for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), managing districtwide policy for 116 schools. Earlier in her career, Araceli was the project manager for the Quality Improvement Center on the Representation of Children in the Child Welfare System, a four-study designed to improve attorney representation of children in dependency court.
Araceli began her career as a Special Education teacher for Miami-Dade County Public Schools as a part of her work with Teach For America. Araceli holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Journalism from Syracuse University, a Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Broad Center for the Management of School Systems.
