Cora recently retired after 39 years serving Los Angeles Unified School District, most recently as the Director of the Community Schools Initiative for five years. She might be retired from LAUSD, but she still holds firmly to the hope that all schools embody the core values and tenets of the Community Schools strategy.

As a new teacher, Cora discovered her passion for working with underserved communities. A desire to effect change in urban schools led her to complete her Administrative Credential and Master’s in Urban Education, which she leveraged to successfully serve as a school site principal for 23 years at three different schools in southeast Los Angeles. As a successful site administrator, she collaboratively led work with all interest-holders: teachers, instructional staff, students, families, and the community to support student learning and improve student outcomes through co-designing goals, priorities, and action steps. Each of these experiences accrued and informed her expert leadership of LAUSD’s Community Schools Initiative.

Cora’s strategic thinking, brilliant system navigation, pragmatic and humanizing leadership, and vision for what Los Angeles communities deserve make her a valued advisor and co-conspirer with Possibilities Unbound.