Claudia Aguilar

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT CLAUDIA AGUILAR

I am an equity-centered K–16 systems innovator with 25 years of experience leading transformational initiatives that expand college access, academic transitions, career readiness, and family engagement across California. As an immigrant, first-generation college graduate, and former Dreamer, I bring a deep personal commitment to designing educational programming and initiatives that honor community cultural wealth, elevate family voice, and remove structural barriers to student success while building on institutional strengths and leveraging partnerships.My career spans roles as a counselor, professor, researcher, trainer, and curriculum designer, giving me a panoramic understanding of the policies, partnerships, and practices that shape equitable educational ecosystems. I am recognized for leading large-scale professional development learning systems and communities, building digital infrastructures that extend statewide impact, and designing curricula, advising frameworks, and transition models that strengthen enrollment, persistence, and completion for diverse student populations. A core part of my work includes collaborating across departments and cultivating strong relationships with external stakeholders to advance shared goals and expand opportunities for students and families.I specialize in strategic visioning, cross-sector collaboration, organizational change, and data-informed decision-making, centering humanizing relationships and experiences rather than transactional ones. At the heart of my work is the belief that transformative programming occurs when design is student-centered, collaborative, and shaped through meaningful multi-stakeholder engagement to build on community strengths and to yield more equitable, meaningful, and humanizing educational outcomes. I also ground my leadership in aligning new initiatives with institutional priorities, strengthening change management processes, and fostering sustainable infrastructures that support ongoing growth and continuous improvement.