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2017 WW MBA Fellows Announced in New Mexico

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FOR RELEASE: Monday, June 12, 2017

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Patrick Riccards | Chief Communication and Strategy Officer | (703) 298‐8283

New Mexico Continues to Strengthen Pipeline of Excellent School Leaders for State’s High-Need Schools

University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University Welcome 2017–18 Class of Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellows in Education Leadership

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (June 12, 2017)—As a sign of its continued commitment to dramatically improve the preparation and placement of educational leaders across the state, New Mexico today announced the incoming class of 2017–18 Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellows in Education Leadership: 46 current educators seeking long careers as school leaders in the state.

The more than 100 outstanding teachers selected for the program since its launch in 2015 were honored at an event at the University of New Mexico today.

Developed by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson (WW) New Mexico MBA Fellowship program was launched in 2015 in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department, New Mexico State University, and the University of New Mexico to develop a new model in education leader preparation, equipping graduates to head changing 21st-century schools across the state. The WW New Mexico MBA blends school-based clinical practice with innovative business school coursework to ensure graduates have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to guide schools and districts in a new kind of education environment while closing achievement gaps.

“As New Mexico’s students have continued to rise, we’ve seen firsthand the power of top-notch school leadership in ensuring our schools are improving, our teachers are feeling supported, and our kids are becoming college-and-career ready. We need well-prepared school leaders driving a culture of excellence in every school,” said New Mexico Public Education Department Secretary Hanna Skandera. “This initiative is an important investment for our state, and shows what’s possible when we work together to challenge the traditional paradigm and put kids first. The first few graduating classes have been pioneers, and the incoming class will build upon a strong foundation.”

New Mexico is one of three states to offer the WW MBA Fellowship program, along with Indiana and Wisconsin. With NMSU and UNM, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation provides school leaders with a blend of graduate coursework and a tailored MBA curriculum. This is the third year that a New Mexico cohort has been selected for the prestigious program.

“The outstanding teachers selected for this program excel in their dedication and passion for student success,” said Audrey Arnold, UNM Anderson School of Management’s Executive & Professional Education Center Director. “We believe this program will give these dedicated educators additional tools that will help them lead their organizations and make a difference in their communities, their schools, and their students’ lives.”

“After teachers themselves, school leaders have the greatest impact on the success of our students. New Mexico has committed to providing aspiring leaders with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to head the public schools and school systems of the future,” said Woodrow Wilson Foundation President Arthur Levine. “These New Mexico educators are a prime example of how an outcomes-based approach to educator preparation can improve the pipeline of talented individuals to lead our schools while ultimately boosting student success for all.”

Under the Woodrow Wilson model, Fellows take MBA courses with a specific focus on the education context. Offered through business schools in collaboration with education schools, the program is designed to prepare leaders who will drive innovation, expand the use of analytics and evidence-based practices, raise student performance to international standards, and improve the quality of school systems and teaching over time.

“Leading schools and districts is both complex and indispensable work. New leaders often struggle to create systems that support the work of classroom teachers, allocate resources most efficiently using data, manage projects effectively, and lead with a compelling vision of success for students,” said Andrea Fletcher, program director at New Mexico State University. “NMSU is dedicated to providing a rigorous MBA experience with special emphasis in education leadership to current and aspiring administrators that prepares them to face the many challenges in moving schools towards strong student achievement and positive staff culture.”

Unlike programs that recruit career changers from other fields to work in schools, the Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship is intended for education professionals nominated by their school districts or charter school leaders. Those school systems partner with participating universities to establish internal pipelines and cultivate new leaders. Fellows selected have demonstrated effective leadership and will use their knowledge of school culture to help transform schools from within. Each Fellow receives a stipend, which covers full tuition, materials, and associated program expenses. In exchange, each Fellow agrees to serve in an approved school or district leadership role within the state for at least three years, with Foundation-supported mentoring.

Funding for the Woodrow Wilson MBA’s New Mexico initiative was initially provided by a grant from the New Mexico Public Education Department. Additional support has been provided by the Daniels Fund.

Both NMSU and UNM are partnering with a variety of area school districts and charter schools to develop partnerships that will sustain clinical placements–or in-school learning arrangements–and mentoring opportunities for the WW MBA Fellows.

The WW MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership draws on the Foundation’s experience with its state-based Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, which works to transform teacher education and recruit excellent candidates to teach math and science in high-need schools. The Teaching Fellowship is now operating in five states in partnership with 28 universities.

Applications to the WW MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership are available by nomination only. To learn more about the WW MBA in Education Leadership, visit http://woodrow.org/fellowships/ww-ed-mba/new-mexico . A full list of WW New Mexico MBA Fellows follows at the end of this release.

About the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation: Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (www.woodrow.org) identifies and develops the nation’s best minds to meet its most critical challenges. The Foundation supports its Fellows as the next generation of leaders shaping American society.

About New Mexico State University: A comprehensive land-grant institution of higher learning, New Mexico State University is dedicated to teaching, research and service at the undergraduate and graduate levels. NMSU is a NASA Space Grant College, a Hispanic-serving institution and is home to the very first Honors College in New Mexico.

About the University of New Mexico: Founded in 1889 as New Mexico’s flagship institution, the University of New Mexico (UNM) represents a cross-section of cultures and backgrounds. In fall of 2013 28,644 students attended the main campus with another 7,609 students at branch campuses and education centers. In 2014, Hispanic Business Magazine ranked four UNM schools among its top 10, including the Anderson School of Management, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, and the School of Engineering. Among the University’s outstanding research units are the Center for Advanced Research Computing, Cancer Center, New Mexico Engineering Research Institute, Center for High Technology Materials, Design Planning Assistance Center, and the Mind Research Network. Forbes Magazine consistently names Albuquerque among the best places for business and careers in the country, and Kiplinger’s calls Albuquerque one of the smartest places to live.

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New Mexico State University MBA Fellows

Cohort 1

  • Vangie Barela, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Estrella Becerra, Gadsden Independent School District
  • Torrance Gilpin, Gadsden Independent School District
  • Toni Hull, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Gabriel Jacquez, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Colette Martinez, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Wendi Miller-Tomlinson, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Latisha Montoya, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Ed Ellison, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Amber Perry, Hatch Valley Public Schools
  • Lydia Polanco, Las Cruces Public Schools

Cohort 2

  • Gabriela Alaniz, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Brenda Ballard, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Sean Barham, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Brandy Holguin, Hatch Valley Public Schools
  • Hilary Holmes, Hatch Valley Public Schools
  • Joan Howard, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Christy Lewis, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Dusty Loftis, Jal Public Schools
  • Tisha Loranc, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Esther Peterson, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Theresa Saenz-Telles, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Joshua Silver, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Mindy Tapia, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Nubia Tarazona, Las Cruces Public Schools

Cohort 3

  • Maggie Baber, Alma D’Arte Charter School
  • Andrea Batista, Roswell Independent School District
  • Audra Bluehouse, Hatch Valley Public Schools
  • Jessica Bouloiseau, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Catherine Brijalba, Hobbs Municipal Schools
  • Cortney Busby, Roswell Independent School District
  • Hernando Chavez, Taos Municipal Schools
  • Vicki Chavez, Southwest Regional Education Cooperative
  • Jason Day, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Zulema De La Rosa, Gadsden Independent School District
  • Robert Estrada, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Heather Hinde, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Abigail Husson-Matter, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Fatima Mendoza, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Kim Molina, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • Leilani Montano, Taos Municipal Schools
  • James Olivas, Bloomfield School District
  • Dolores Polanco, Las Cruces Public Schools
  • David Sinden, Roswell Independent School District
  • Jamie Watson, Roswell Independent School District
  • Lee White, Loving Municipal Schools
  • Holly Greaser, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Seth Levine, Farmington Municipal Schools

University of New Mexico MBA Fellows

Cohort 1

  • Andrea Ochoa,Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Anpao Duta Flying Earth, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Catherine Jaramillo, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Clair Toledo, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • James Field, ACE LeadershipHigh School
  • Janet Delgado, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • JennaBludworth, Laguna Department of Education
  • Karen Marler, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Kimball Sekaquaptewa, Santa Fe Indian School
  • Leigh Arnett, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Melissa Wauneka, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Santiago Sanchez, Santa Fe Public Schools
  • ScottElder, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Thomas Piper, Albuquerque Public Schools

Cohort 2

  • Abel Abeita, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • AlanBrauer, Jr., NACA Inspired Schools Network
  • Amy Romero,The Montessori Elementary and Middle School
  • Carolyn Sanchez, Los Lunas Public Schools
  • Claire Wood, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Cristina Benitez De Luna, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Daniel Siegert, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • DanielWolfskehl, ACE Leadership High School
  • David Vigil,Health Leadership High School
  • Elizabeth Calhoon, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Erin Peterson, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Eva Prieto, Gallup McKinley County Schools
  • Gillian Gordon, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • HeidiKenworthy, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Holly Schullo, Farmington Public Schools
  • Jayme Abeyta,Bernalillo Public Schools
  • Justin Decker, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Karla Abeyta Dow, Belen Consolidated Schools
  • Kristin Thompson, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • LauraFlores, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Lawrence Sanchez, Belen Consolidated Schools
  • Maxine Sloan, Gallup McKinley County Schools
  • Rosalia Leyba, Chama Valley Independent Schools
  • Sarah Matosian, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Suzanne Newsome, Albuquerque Public Schools

Cohort 3

  • Azella Humetewa, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • ByrneLarsen, Santa Fe Public Schools
  • Cheryl Anaya, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Christopher Quintana, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Corina Chavez, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Darlene Rivera-Carlos, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Diana Garcia,Nuestros Valores Charter School
  • Gino Blea, South Valley Prep Charter School
  • Hannah Peria, Priority Schools Bureau
  • Jeremy Oyenque, Santa Clara Pueblo
  • JermaneGnodle, Grants-Cibola County Schools
  • LeeAnne Becker, Belen Consolidated Schools
  • Melissa Tholund, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Michelle Starnes, Belen Consolidated Schools
  • Monica Holt, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Patricia Pinnere, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Rachel Aaker, Rio Rancho Public Schools
  • Robert Erp, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Scott Brown, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Seth Saavedra, 50CAN
  • Toni Skalican Towery, Gallup McKinley County Schools
  • Tyrel Chavez, Albuquerque Public Schools
  • Ventura Lovato, Albuquerque Public Schools

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