After a long and successful career in education and after serving on a number of public policy commissions and boards of great not-for-profit organizations, I am again re-inventing myself to focus on serving on two community boards, the Rotary Club of Little Village in Chicago, and the True Value Boys and Girls Club in Little Village. I have always put myself in positions to serve the children and families in various communities around Chicago as a teacher at three different elementary schools, a Principal of two elementary schools, a Principal of the Benito Juarez High School, the Chief of Policy for the Chicago Public Schools, and perhaps the position where I learned the most about how education in Chicago, and Chicago itself, works, the Deputy Mayor of Education for the City of Chicago, appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley.In every position of leadership that I have been fortunate enough to have, I tried to do my best for my students and their families. In the Mayor's Office, I worked on a number of public policy issues around the city. As I focused on the challenges of each day, I always realized that my position of leadership came with a white horse that I kept in the closet, so to speak. If someone needed help that, strictly speaking, was not my responsibility, I usually decided to bring out the white horse and help that person with their problem, knowing that they were calling the Mayor's Office as a last resort, out of frustration for not being helped anywhere else. I knew that my white horse needed "exercise" on a regular basis, or what good was having the horse in my closet if I didn't use it to help people. Occasionally, as I tell a story about my experiences in life, people tell me that I should write a book of my memoirs. But, I'm too busy to do that now, because I am now very busy dedicating my life completely to service through the Rotary Club of Little Village. I work with wonderful, talented professionals in business and community who, like me, contribute their time and money to promote the health and welfare of children and families locally and around the world. The more I learn about Rotary, the more I know that my life has led me to this place and this opportunity to embody the key principle of Rotary; Service Above Self.If anyone who reads this is interested in helping raise funds to better the lives of children and families who need help, then please contact me to learn more about Rotary and how you can help. Of course, I can also coach people about leadership and career advancement.
Listed skills include Curriculum Design, Teaching, Educational Leadership, Community Outreach, and 46 others.
