Ep 18 Dr. Alejandro Jauregui, From Janitor to Doctor: Leadership Development

HOST: Ovi Vasquez, Inspirational Leadership Keynote Speaker. Fatherless farm boy from rural Guatemala—Inspiring teams to peak performance. He challenges teams to embrace change and step into bold leadership. He grew up in a village off-the-grid, migrated to the U.S., learned English in two years, graduated from high school in three years, earned a B.A. in management, in two years. Ovi has worked for Apple, Tesla, Salesforce, and Uber. He is a TEDx speaker, author, and a social entrepreneur.

GUEST BIO: Meet Dr. Alex Alejandro Jauregui, a lifelong advocate for emergent bilinguals whose work in Buena Park School District, the Cotsen Foundation, and Biola University centers one belief: students’ heritage languages and cultures are powerful assets. He partners with teachers and coaches to design classrooms where translanguaging is welcomed, biliteracy is the goal, and every child’s story is seen, heard, and honored.

Find our guest at: https://cotsen.org
Find our host at: https://www.ovinspires.com

Leadership Keywords:
educator development, teacher coaching, emergent bilinguals, biliteracy, educational equity, translanguaging, instructional leadership, mentorship, values-based leadership, Latino leadership, student identity, professional growth, community voice

Leadership Summary: Dr. Alex Alejandro Jauregui shares his path from East LA to becoming a statewide education leader and coach. Rooted in family, faith, and bilingual pride, he highlights how mentors and early experiences shaped his values. From janitor to Teacher of the Year, he models servant leadership and explains how the Cotsen coaching model supports teacher growth. His story offers a guide for leaders who build trust and empower others through listening and gratitude.

10 Takeaways on Leadership
✅ Mentorship is an obligation, not a bonus
✅ Leaders must model empathy, not perfection
✅ Make failure safe and part of growth
✅ Every teacher deserves a coach
✅ Coaching should be relational, not evaluative
✅ Translanguaging builds student confidence
✅ Family values shape leadership
✅ Every team member brings cultural assets
✅ AI tools like Perplexity and Canva enhance productivity
✅ Free resources like Libby and LOC.gov increase access

5 Titles for Leadership
✅ From Janitor to Doctor: A Leadership Journey Rooted in Faith
✅ Why Every Teacher Deserves a Coach
✅ Music, Mentorship, and Meaning: Leading With Connection
✅ Bilingual and Blessed: Empowering the Next Generation
✅ Gratitude, Grit, and Growth: Dr. Jauregui’s Road to Impact

5 Sound Bites for Leadership
🗣 “Mentorship is walking alongside someone, not above them.”
🗣 “You will be bilingual. You will use your voice.”
🗣 “Failure isn’t the end. It’s where growth begins.”
🗣 “Every teacher needs a coach, not just new ones.”
🗣 “Hard conversations require curiosity, not judgment.”

Chapters
03:00 – 31 Years in Buena Park
05:00 – Abuelita’s Influence
08:00 – Ballet Folklorico, Flute, and Faith
13:00 – Paying for School Through Janitorial Work
18:00 – Mentoring Gen Z and Gen Alpha
21:00 – Coaching Frameworks From Cotsen
28:00 – Doctorate, Teaching Awards, and Vision
34:00 – Books, Tools, and Final Leadership Wisdom

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