Margarita Florez Vasconcelos Email & Phone Number

United States

As Crankstart’s first managing director, I developed and oversaw our vertical strategies, partnerships, and learning functions. I managed a $215 million annual budget and directed the investment of $400 million over two years. These resources contributed to achieving a 95% vaccination rate in San Francisco, providing summer school options to every San Francisco student, advocating for automatic voter registration, and mitigating election interference during the 2022 midterms.To accomplish this, I set a vision that propelled Crankstart from an early-stage foundation to a prominent player on key issues. I tripled our staff by recruiting top leaders in respective fields and leveraged local and national networks to swiftly deploy resources to communities. For example, we deployed $12 million to 12 local organizations in under three weeks across Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and California to support voting rights, protect elections, and engage millions of Latinx voters leading up to the 2024 elections.Crankstart has emerged as a philanthropic leader, with 67% of grants established as multi-year commitments, and 85% without conditions. In addition, nearly 70% of our giving dollars were invested in diverse-led organizations.Crankstart is a San Francisco-based family foundation funded by Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman.

Redwood City, Ca, Us

As a senior leader I effectively deployed and managed an $85 million portfolio. I led major organizational change by training and transitioning senior leadership and their teams toward an inclusive and participatory design integration across CZI's technology-based product development and philanthropic practice. To support this initiative, I launched the inclusive design team and practice, one of the largest cross-functional teams at CZI. Utilizing a budget exceeding $12 million, we built internal capacity, developed tools, and accelerated progress with third-party collaborators and partners, focusing on inclusive design. Our collaborative efforts empowered Black, Brown, and Indigenous leaders and communities to actively contribute to the identification, design, and funding of solutions.I also provided direct coaching to executive leaders and CZI principals.

As a consultant, I was most often called to reimagine program models and help solve human capital challenges in schools, districts, and nonprofits. Through my practice I launched school networks, facilitated organizational restructures and redesigned school and educator preparation programs both in the U.S. and internationally.Notable clients in the U.S. included New York City Public Schools, Schools That Can Milwaukee, RISE Colorado, KIPP Bay Area Schools, KIPP Foundation, Oakland Unified School District, KIPP San Antonio Public Schools, New Schools for New Orleans, Spring Branch Independent School District, and Teach For America. Internationally, I worked with clients such as India School Leadership Institute, One World Network of Schools, Akanksha Foundation, and Putera Sampoerna Foundation.

New York, Ny, Us

I facilitated the transition of Teach For America Bay Area from a decentralized to a distributive network model. Additionally, I spearheaded an inclusive program redesign to support 250 teachers serving 12,000 students across four regions in the Bay Area.

Los Angeles, California, Us

As the chief architect of our academic and measurement initiatives, I built the talent and instructional strategy that propelled the region's growth from 7 to 14 schools and established it as the highest-performing public school network in Los Angeles. Key accomplishments include:* Designing and implementing a K-Algebra math program for over 5000 students* Founding and managing 9 personalized learning schools* Setting the vision and designing network tools to monitor school health on a weekly and monthly basis * Overseeing the development of 90+ academic and operational leaders* Designing onboarding and development programs for 475+ teachers and staff

Los Angeles, California, Us

Led school to a 978 API (academic performance index) outperforming 99% of public schools across California and making it the third highest performing school across LAUSD. Comienza is a National Blue Ribbon school and enduring model in family partnership.

San Francisco, Ca, Us

Led the recruitment and selection of principals leading to 25+ new KIPP charter schools across 15 regions in the United States.

New York, Ny, Us

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.)

Master Of Arts (M.A.), School Leadership & Language Acquisition