Andy Canales
Founding Executive Director, Latinos for Education
Latino students make up more than half of the public-school population throughout the Greater Houston area, yet are significantly underrepresented in positions of decision-making power and influence in the education system. Latinos for Education seeks to correct this by investing in local Latino leaders with the launch of two new programs: The Aspiring Latino Leaders Fellowship which accelerates the trajectory of Latino leaders in education by providing access to strong networks and skill-building focused on identity development, advocacy, and management competencies; and the Latino Board Fellowship which identifies, trains, and matches Latinos working successfully outside and inside education with governing boards of education nonprofits and charter schools. By harnessing the talent and passion of Latino leaders to advocate for Latino students and to engage and empower families, Latinos for Education aims to ensure more Latino students achieve their full potential—in the classroom and in life.
Andy Canales leads Latinos for Education in Greater Houston. He previously led the Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation for Children at Risk, a statewide children’s research and advocacy organization in Texas. He also served as a founding director of the Commit Partnership in Dallas, the region’s collective impact organization, where he led the flagship initiative to improve early literacy outcomes for over 8,000 low-income children. Earlier in his career, Andy worked in corporate philanthropy and as a teacher in high-need communities in New York City and Miami as a Teach For America corps member.