Raquel Munarriz Diaz, EdD, is a ZERO TO THREE Fellow. She is a Senior Partnership Manager for the University of Florida Lastinger Center.
Dr. Raquel Munarriz Diaz is a seasoned professional with many years of experience working in early childhood education. She started her career as a teacher assistant at a childcare center. As a first-generation college graduate, she earned her bachelor’s and graduate degrees from Florida International University in her hometown, Miami, Florida. Dr. Diaz taught in a large urban school system for 17 years. The bulk of her tenure included teaching dual-language children. As the daughter of Cuban immigrants, Raquel felt a passion for helping young learners new to this country. She earned her National Board Certification in Early Childhood. Her doctoral research focused on the role of language in early childhood mathematics. Prior to her appointment as Professor in Residence for the University of Florida, Raquel served as the Early Childhood Project Coordinator at the Frost Science Museum to develop an early childhood science curriculum.
Dr. Diaz has taught graduate courses in Curriculum & Instruction and served as a portfolio coach for teachers pursuing their graduate degrees. Currently, she is the Senior Partnership Manager for the University of Florida Lastinger Center. In this capacity, she manages several projects across the United States aimed at bringing organizations together to collaboratively solve problems internally and to use engaging tools and processes in their work with external providers. Dr. Diaz believes deeply in the power of learning communities and strives to serve as a passionate advocate for early childcare professionals.
