Marcela Andres, an architect of dreams, firmly believes in the transformative power of collaboration among families, educators, and communities to empower students to live out their life’s purpose. As the President and CEO of designEDengagement, PBC, a Latina-owned education consulting company headquartered in Texas, Marcela has been at the forefront of numerous successful initiatives over the past four years.
Her work spans cities across the nation, where she leads projects aimed at fostering culturally responsive program strategies, enhancing organizational excellence, nurturing meaningful relationships, and conducting comprehensive evaluations to achieve desired impacts. One of Marcela’s remarkable contributions includes developing innovative programs and curricula to revolutionize family engagement in education.
Before establishing designEDengagement, Marcela served as the Program Director of Raising Family Partnerships, where she spearheaded the research, design, and implementation of a pioneering statewide family engagement principal fellowship in Texas. Additionally, she played a pivotal role as the Founding Operations Manager, providing crucial support in successfully launching four schools that supported over 1,800 students and families.
Marcela’s journey in education commenced in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, where she dedicated herself as a 3rd and 4th-grade teacher at a bilingual elementary school. Before her foray into education, Marcela gained valuable experience in the corporate insurance sector, having worked with esteemed companies like Progressive, Northwestern Mutual, and Columbia Insurance.
A native Spanish speaker and the proud daughter of immigrants from Cuba and Mexico, Marcela is an avid world traveler, a homeowner, and a successful business owner. Her academic achievements include a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Saint Edward’s University and a Master’s in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Expertise
- Bilingual education programming
- Curriculum development
- Organizational leadership
Education
- MA in Education from Harvard University
- BBA in Finance from Saint Edward’s University
