EdCircuit Staff 
Drs. Gustavo Balderas, Francisco Duran, Alex Marrero, Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, and Danna Diaz are sworn in for two-year terms
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 28, 2022) – The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) has announced its 2022-2023 executive board:
- Gustavo Balderas, board president
- Francisco Durán, past president
- Alex Marrero, president-elect
- Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, treasurer and director of Region 8, New England
- Danna Diaz, secretary and director at large
The board members were sworn in at the 19th Annual National ALAS Education Summit in Puerto Rico. They will serve three-year terms.
“Drs. Balderas, Durán, Marrero, Torres-Rodriguez and Diaz all have a wealth of leadership experience. They understand the unique challenges that superintendents face and how to create positive change within their districts and schools to support students of color,” said ALAS Executive Director Dr. Maria Armstrong. “Their perspectives and their passion for their roles make them amazing assets for us in our work to provide leadership development for our members and improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students”
About the board members:
Dr. Gustavo Balderas is superintendent of the Beaverton School District in Oregon. Prior to that role he was superintendent of Edmonds School District 15 in Lynwood, Washington. He has also served as superintendent for the Eugene School District 4J in Eugene, Oregon; Ocean View School District in Huntington Beach, California; and Madera Unified School District in Madera, California, following 19 years in Oregon public education. He is co-founder and past president of the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators and was named the 2020 AASA National Superintendent of the Year. Some of his career highlights include his work around equity and cultural proficiency through the state-level work of the Oregon Leadership Network and the State Action for Educational Leadership Project, and with district work in developing equity systems around instruction, student behavior and hiring practices. Dr. Balderas focuses his community volunteer efforts on working with non-profit organizations that focus on underserved students.
Dr. Francisco Durán is superintendent of Arlington Public Schools in Virginia. He previously served as Chief Academic Officer of the Fairfax County Public School district, the 10th largest school district in the nation and one of the highest performing large school districts in the country, and has also served as superintendent of Trenton Public Schools. As an educational leader, Dr. Durán has worked passionately to ensure that all students receive a quality education that will equip them with the skills needed for post-secondary education and employment in today’s ever-changing world. As the first in his family to graduate from college, he knows education is the key to open the door for possibilities and he continues on in a quest to ensure that more and more students, teachers, and staff have those same opportunities that were afforded to him.
Dr. Alex Marrero is superintendent of Denver Public Schools in Colorado. Dr. Marrero leads with a vision of supporting students the way educators supported him growing up and into his career. As the child of a Cuban refugee and an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Alex prides himself on representing many of the Latinx students in the communities he has served as a school leader and in district leadership positions. He attended New York City public schools, and began his education career there as well, serving as a guidance counselor, assistant principal and principal. He believes that every child can accomplish what he has – not only overcoming obstacles, but also being recognized as a leader in their chosen field.
Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez is superintendent of Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut. Raised in Hartford and a product of Hartford Public High School, she has served as an education leader in Greater Hartford for over two decades. Prior to her appointment as Superintendent, Dr. Torres-Rodriguez was Acting Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Leadership within Hartford Public Schools, where she provided culturally courageous leadership to support the comprehensive improvement efforts of a network of 11 schools. Dr. Torres-Rodriguez also taught social and behavioral science at Capital Community College and served students and families at Goodwin Technical High School as a School Social Worker. She was named the 2022 ALAS National Superintendent of the Year.
Dr. Danna Diaz is superintendent of the Reynolds School District in Oregon, serving a culturally diverse population of 11,000 students in 16 public and three charter schools with over 100 native languages and dialects represented. Her administrative career includes 24 years as an Administrator in five states – Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Washington, and Oregon. Prior to joining the Reynolds School District, she served as the superintendent of the San Juan Island School District, as an area superintendent at El Paso ISD, and as director of student engagement at Fort Worth ISD. She was instrumental in the development, implementation, and evaluation of district programs and services that address academic achievement, student leadership development, school completion, and college readiness.
To view the board members’ full profiles, visit https://www.alasedu.org/about.
For more information about ALAS visit https://www.alasedu.org/.
About the Association of Latino Administrators & Superintendents (ALAS)
The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents [ALAS] is committed to providing a perspective to all aspiring school and district administrators including superintendents through programs, services, advocacy and networks rooted in Latino experiences and culture. ALAS has nearly 8,000 members across 18 state affiliates with several more states soon to be a part of the ALAS Familia. Our Vision, Mission and Goals are to provide leadership at the national level that assures every school in America effectively serves the educational needs of all students with an emphasis on Latino and other historically marginalized youth through continuous professional learning, policy advocacy, and networking to share practices of promise for our students and the communities where we serve.
By the year 2026, Latino children will make up 30 percent of the school-age population. In the nation’s largest states – California, Texas, Florida, and New York- all of whom are ALAS State Affiliates – Latinos already have reached that level. It is of vital interest to invest in the education of every child, and the professional learning of all educators who serve Latino youth.
