OUR TEAM
Mario was born in El Salvador and immigrated to Los Angeles in 1985. He was the first in his family to attend and graduate from college because of the values set by his parents.
Mario received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of San Francisco with a minor in Latin American Studies. He also received two Master’s Degrees of Education in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix and Education in School Administration from Loyola Marymount University.
Mario taught nine years in parochial and public charter schools in Los Angeles. He has experience in teaching grades 3 through 8. During his teaching experience, he has been a grade level chair, department chair, technology lead, innovation coordinator, and restorative justice coordinator. He went into administration as Dean of Instruction and Culture at KIPP Academy of Innovation. Most recently, Mario founded a middle school, KIPP Corazón Academy Upper School with a vision of social justice and equity in his school through anti-racist pedagogy and policies. His vision was rooted in his lived experiences as a first generation immigrant who was constantly othered by dominant groups and the erasure of his culture through post-colonialist practices. His school vision focused on uplifting the identities of all young people, utilizing the cultural wealth of all community stakeholders, and building critical consciousness of everyone in order to co-create something that has never been created before.
Mario is currently finishing his PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. He will be a research assistant and adjunct faculty as he finishes his research on retention of Latino men in education. Mario enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, adding to the stockpile of unfinished books, watching movies, and working out when he has free time.
Mario created Critically Educated Consulting to collaborate with schools, educators, and organizations to actively resist and disrupt structures of inequity in our society. The goal is to continuously learn, reflect, and heal through this work with communities in order to reimagine a society that is meant for all of us.
Mario received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of San Francisco with a minor in Latin American Studies. He also received two Master’s Degrees of Education in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix and Education in School Administration from Loyola Marymount University.
Mario taught nine years in parochial and public charter schools in Los Angeles. He has experience in teaching grades 3 through 8. During his teaching experience, he has been a grade level chair, department chair, technology lead, innovation coordinator, and restorative justice coordinator. He went into administration as Dean of Instruction and Culture at KIPP Academy of Innovation. Most recently, Mario founded a middle school, KIPP Corazón Academy Upper School with a vision of social justice and equity in his school through anti-racist pedagogy and policies. His vision was rooted in his lived experiences as a first generation immigrant who was constantly othered by dominant groups and the erasure of his culture through post-colonialist practices. His school vision focused on uplifting the identities of all young people, utilizing the cultural wealth of all community stakeholders, and building critical consciousness of everyone in order to co-create something that has never been created before.
Mario is currently finishing his PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. He will be a research assistant and adjunct faculty as he finishes his research on retention of Latino men in education. Mario enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, adding to the stockpile of unfinished books, watching movies, and working out when he has free time.
Mario created Critically Educated Consulting to collaborate with schools, educators, and organizations to actively resist and disrupt structures of inequity in our society. The goal is to continuously learn, reflect, and heal through this work with communities in order to reimagine a society that is meant for all of us.
