Gabriela is standing in front of a leafy background wearing a red jacket.

Education researcher, educator, public scholar, and mother.

My work explores the relationships among education, inequality, and institutional change.

I am a doctoral candidate at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education, where I study how educational institutions produce, sustain, and respond to racial harm. My research focuses on race and inequality in PK–12 education, with particular attention to school discipline, organizational processes, and institutional accountability.

My scholarship draws on nearly fifteen years as a Spanish-bilingual elementary school teacher, my work in teacher education, and my experience as an elected member and two-term President of the San Francisco Board of Education.

Across research, teaching, and public service, I am interested in how schools and other educational institutions shape opportunities for learning and participation, how communities navigate and challenge inequities, and how educational practice, policy, and leadership can contribute to more equitable and responsive public institutions.

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Professional Focus

Teaching & Teacher Education

My teaching spans bilingual elementary education, teacher preparation, curriculum design, and literacy instruction.

Educational Leadership

My leadership experience spans educational governance, school improvement, and institutional decision-making, connecting policy to the everyday realities of public schools.

Public Service

My service spans educational governance, student mentorship, academic leadership, and community engagement, with a commitment to equity and institutional accountability.

Research

My research examines racial harm, school discipline, and the organizational processes that shape educational inequality.

Selected Writing

CURRICULUM & INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

Curtailing the Slow Violence of White Supremacy in School Districts

Ethnic Studies Pedagogies · 2025

Explores institutional resistance to Ethnic Studies and the role of teacher-researcher collaboration in educational change.

EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE

The Politics of the 2021 School Board Recall Attempts

Theory Into Practice · 2024

Examines racial politics, educational governance, and struggles over equity in public schooling.

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Invited Engagements

Addressing Racial Harm in Schools

American Federation of Teachers TEACH Conference · 2025

In this workshop, I explored how racial harm takes shape through school discipline practices and the institutional conditions that sustain disparities. Drawing on my experiences as an educator and researcher, I shared strategies for recognizing and addressing these patterns in schools.

39th Annual Día de la Familia — Keynote

San Francisco State University · 2019

In this Spanish-language keynote, I reflect on my experiences growing up in public schools where I did not always feel supported or seen. I share how those experiences shaped my commitment to creating more affirming educational opportunities for young people and families.

Turn to the Right in Academia

UCLA · Global Critical Studies & Praxis · February 2026

In this invited panel, I joined a conversation about the political forces reshaping education and the implications for educational institutions. My participation reflects my commitment to understanding how power and politics shape democratic participation and possibilities for justice.

Local Educational Democracy Under Threat

AERA Presidential Session · 2025

In this presidential session, I joined scholars examining the challenges facing local school boards and democratic governance in education. The discussion connects to my research on school board politics and my experience navigating the tensions between community representation, public accountability, and educational equity.