Join host Pablo Muñoz for a marvelous conversation with his featured guest — Pierre Orbe.

Pierre is a first-generation American who was born to Ecuadorian parents. He is the New York State Principal of the Year, as well as the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) National Principal of the Year for 2025. Pierre is a transformative leader and doctoral researcher who is preparing to serve as a superintendent committed to unlocking the potential of every student.

1:03 - Introduction

2:08 - My Leadership Story

40:15 - DeWitt Clinton High School

57:25 - The Price of Leadership

1:03:01 - Earning Your Way

1:09:00 - Principal of the Year

1:14:36 - Ideas, Listening, and Loyalty

1:23:23 - Developmental Assets Framework

1:33:50 - Guiding Principles

Pierre Orbe was born and raised in New Jersey and has devoted his life to transforming education through courage, faith, and purpose. His passion for education began with his older brother, who is on the autism spectrum, and a defining childhood moment when his mother refused to accept a teacher’s claim that her son would never amount to anything—a moment that shaped Pierre’s belief that every child deserves to be seen and supported. Pierre is the principal of DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx—once considered one of the most troubled and dangerous schools in New York City Public Schools.

Pierre earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Drew University. He received a master’s degree in science education from New York University as a Goldman Sachs Fellow. Pierre is pursuing his doctorate at Russell Sage College and finalizing his first book, The Price of Leadership, a memoir on the resilience, sacrifice, and integrity required to lead with purpose.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pierre-orbe-453b31a

Email: porbe@schools.nyc.gov

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an extraordinary conversation with his featured guest — Karla Hernández-Mats.

Karla is a proud Miami, Florida native and first-generation American of Honduran descent. She is an American Federation of Teachers (AFT) vice president and past president of United Teachers of Dade. Karla was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Florida in 2022.

1:03 - Introduction

1:56 - My Leadership Story

30:33 - Educated. We Stand

33:58 - AFT Vice President

37:15 - High-Profile Politics

40:31 - United Teachers of Dade

43:14 - Latina Leaders

47:28 - Kids are Not Widgets

50:14 - Passing the Baton

52:40 - Guiding Principles

Karla Hernández-Mats is the chairwoman and president of Educated. We Stand, a national, non-partisan organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education. She remains deeply involved in her community, actively volunteering and supporting humanitarian missions overseas. Karla has been nationally recognized for her leadership, including being honored by Miami Today’s Achiever Series in 2019 for advancing public education throughout Miami-Dade County.

Karla has been active on numerous boards, including the Florida Education Association Governance Board and Executive Cabinet, the United Way Board of Miami, the Florida AFL-CIO’s executive board, the Children’s Trust’s executive board, and the Education Fund’s executive board. She is the chairperson of the AFT’s Women’s Rights Committee. Karla frequently addresses national groups on the challenges educators face and is an advocate for immigration reform and children’s rights.

Karla earned a bachelor’s degree in emotionally handicapped education from Florida International University. She received a master’s degree in business management from St. Thomas University. Karla spent over a decade as a classroom teacher, earning recognition as the 2010 Teacher of the Year at Hialeah Middle School in Florida.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karla-hernandez-mats-665521203

Website: aft.org/about/leadership/karla-hernandez-mats

Facebook: facebook.com/karla.hernandez2022

Instagram: instagram.com/karlahernandezmats/

Email: karlamats@icloud.com

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a meaningful conversation with his featured guest — Elena Fabunan.

Elena was born in Tijuana, Mexico to a Filipino father and Mexican mother. She championed equity, trauma-informed practices, and newcomer student success during her 35 years as a bilingual teacher, counselor, and principal. Elena is currently a coach, mentor, and advocate, ensuring that every child feels seen, safe, and unstoppable.

1:03 - Introduction

2:16 - My Leadership Story

16:24 - Principal

22:57 - Advocating for Newcomer Students

26:46 - NVALAS

31:12 - Leading with Corazón

32:01 - Trauma-Informed Leadership

32:52 - Mindful Social-Emotional Leadership

34:08 - Guiding Principles

Elena Fabunan carries the resilience of her immigrant roots into every part of her work. She is a retired high school principal who worked in the Clark County School District in Nevada and the Los Angeles Unified School District in California. Elena dedicated her career to advancing educational equity, student well-being, and culturally responsive leadership. She serves on the boards of the Nevada Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (NVALAS) and the Vegas Vista Academy Charter School. Elena is passionate about developing future leaders and inspiring others to lead with courage, compassion, and authenticity.

Elena earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach. She received a master’s degree in educational counseling from the University of Phoenix, Las Vegas. Elena obtained a second master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elena-fabunan-53354095

Website: nvalas.org/

Email: mexipina.ef@gmail.com

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a wonderful conversation with his featured guest — Celina Estrada Thomas.

Celina is a lifelong educator, a dedicated wife, a loving mother and grandmother, a colleague, and a friend. She served as a public school educator for over 41 years and retired from public education in 2023. Celina is currently serving as the executive director for the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (TALAS).

1:03 - Introduction

2:08 - My Leadership Story

25:05 - TALAS

33:00 - Superintendent of Schools

39:48 - Latina Leaders

45:46 - Principal

51:20 - Educational Leadership

57:13 - School Bonds

1:00:19 - Guiding Principles

Dr. Celina Estrada Thomas is originally from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. She was the superintendent of schools in the Hutto Independent School District. Celina expanded and upgraded school facilities, increased the number of dual language campuses, expanded career and technical education (CTE) and the fine arts, and increased college and career pathway opportunities. She ensured equitable access, closed achievement gaps, instilled high expectations, and raised academic achievement for all students. Celina mentors those who aspire to be superintendents, with a special focus on women.

Celina earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Pan American University at Brownsville. She received a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Celina is an executive coach for the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA).

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/celinathomas101

Website: talasedu.org/

Email: ceethomas6@gmail.com

Email: celina.estradathomas@talasedu.org

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for an informative conversation with his featured guest — Miranda Walichowski.

Miranda is the founder of Human Architects and a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University. She helps school leadership teams boost efficacy, strengthen internal dynamics, and respond to all stakeholders. Miranda is a wife, mother of five, and competitive powerlifter who blends heart, strategy, and focus into everything she does.

1:03 - Introduction

2:02 - My Leadership Story

30:27 - Team Coaching

37:58 - Latino Leadership Leverage

42:23 - Latina Leaders

46:52 - Human Architects

48:53 - Teacher Preparation Program

51:11 - Powerlifter

57:23 - Guiding Principles

Dr. Miranda Walichowski started her education career as a bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Galveston Independent School District in Texas. She coordinated the bilingual and ESL pre-service teacher preparation program at Texas A&M University from 2011 to 2023. Miranda transitioned to the Learning Sciences program in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University in 2024 to focus on teaching graduate-level coaching courses.

Miranda provides leader and team coaching in the business, PreK-12, and higher education sectors. Her work in the PreK-16 sectors has encompassed leader development through group coaching for principals and assistant principals. Miranda has delivered team coaching for cabinet teams, central office teams, and the school leadership teams.

Miranda earned a bachelor’s degree in maritime business administration from Texas A&M University, Galveston. She received a master’s degree and a doctorate in educational psychology with an emphasis in Hispanic bilingual education from Texas A&M University, College Station. Miranda created the Latino Leadership Leverage (L3) program for aspiring superintendents for the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (TALAS).

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mirandawalichowski

Website: humanarks.com/

Email: miranda@humanarks.com

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a delightful conversation with his featured guest — Gladys Barbosa Labas.

Gladys is an associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Southern Connecticut State University. She previously served as the director of equity and language at the Connecticut Department of Education, supporting school districts in meeting the academic and social-emotional needs of English learners. Gladys has made a lifelong commitment to bilingual education, where she is known as “La Madrina.”

1:03 - Introduction

2:12 - My Leadership Story

24:10 - La Madrina de Bilingual Education

29:55 - Principal

34:56 - Connecticut Department of Education

38:17 - Latina Leaders

40:09 - Southern Connecticut State University

42:32 - Educational Leadership

44:06 - Guiding Principles

Dr. Gladys Barbosa Labas has five decades of public education experience, including 30 years serving as a teacher and administrator in urban districts, including Meriden, Hartford, and New Britain. She co-authored the state’s 1978 bilingual education law, making Connecticut the third state in the United States to have such a law, which she also revised in 2015 to better provide English language learners with equal access to curriculum. Gladys researches, publishes, and teaches on teacher education, leadership, literacy, bilingual program development and implementation, and discourse analysis of bilinguals.

Gladys was appointed as a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education in January 2025. She has received the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents award for service to the Latino community, the Southern Connecticut State University Outstanding Leadership and Service awards, the Connecticut Association of Schools Principal of the Year award, and the Milken National Leadership award. Gladys was also recognized with a Lifetime Recognition Award by the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast (MABE).

Gladys earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. She received a master’s degree in special education and a doctorate in teacher education from the University of Connecticut. Gladys wrote her doctoral dissertation on the “Stylistic Code-Switching among Puerto Rican Children.”

Website: southernct.edu/directory/labasg1

Email: labasg1@southernct.edu

Email: gladyslabas@gmail.com

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a caring conversation with his featured guest — Carlos Marrero.

Carlos is a visionary leader with a rare blend of strategic foresight and grounded presence. He was the CEO, founder, and director of the LEO Clinic in Connecticut. Carlos has mentored aspiring social workers and helped shape the next generation of mental health professionals.

1:03 - Introduction

2:45 - My Leadership Story

11:17 - LEO Clinic

18:08 - School Social Worker

22:04 - Education Consultant

25:13 - Power Moves

30:03 - COVID-19

32:01 - The Children’s Law Center of Connecticut

33:40 - Guiding Principles

Dr. Carlos Marrero is an education consultant with Empowered Resolve, a Connecticut-based consulting firm that helps individuals, families, and professionals navigate complex systems—including family court, Medicaid, education, licensing, and nonprofit operations. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Saint Joseph. Carlos is also a volunteer at The Children’s Law Center of Connecticut.

Carlos earned a bachelor’s degree in psychological science from Central Connecticut State University. He received a master’s degree in social work from Springfield College. Carlos holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Central Connecticut State University.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-carlos-marrero-lcsw-gal-ed-d-15a81785

Website: empowerresolve.com/

Email: cmarrero@empowerresolve.com

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a thought-provoking conversation with his featured guest — Rubén Arias.

Rubén is a Chilean serial edtech entrepreneur relocated to Texas. He is a mission-driven engineer that specializes in designing, developing, and evaluating technology for education. Rubén aims to change the lives of 100 million K-12 Spanish-speaking students worldwide.

1:03 - Introduction

1:59 - My Leadership Story

19:17 - Education and Technology

24:45 - Large Language Models

26:50 - Generative Artificial Intelligence

28:45 - Artificial Consciousness

54:27 - BeeReaders

1:03:10 - Entrepreneur

1:04:56 - Role of School

1:06:14 - EdTech Startup

1:08:25 - Guiding Principles

Rubén Arias is a first-generation college graduate from Santiago, Chile. He is the founder and CEO of BeeReaders, an AI-powered literacy platform built to serve Spanish-speaking students across the Americas. Rubén brings a rare mix of product vision, executional rigor, and deep empathy for underserved learners. He is building a category-defining company that is shaping the future of bilingual education in the United States and closing the opportunity gap for Spanish speakers worldwide.

Rubén has more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of education, technology, and equity. He has led the integration of generative AI into Spanish literacy instruction, creating culturally relevant, adaptive learning tools and real-time feedback systems. Rubén earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering sciences from the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana in Chile.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rariasa

Website: beereaders.com/home

Email: ruben.arias@beereaders.com

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

For additional information visit: themunozcompany.com

Purchase The Leader’s Algorithm: themunozcompany.com/the-leaders-algorithm

Learn more about Pablo: themunozcompany.com/pablo-munoz

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-muñoz-b30b2ab1

Email: pablo@themunozcompany.com