JOAQUIN TAMAYO
Washington
Summary
TRANSFORMATIONAL EDUCATION LEADER Architect of coalitions and policy infrastructure advancing equal opportunity in polarized environments. Twenty-seven-year track record spanning schoolhouse to the White House: founding and leading organizations that beat the odds, creating national initiatives reaching millions, mobilizing fragmented networks into coordinated movements. Queer Mexican-American leader committed to reimagining opportunity pathways as the consensus around public education fundamentally shifts.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President for Policy, Marketing, and Communications
Communities In Schools
04.2024 - Current
- Built national policy function from zero to field leadership in 18 months, establishing CIS (nation's largest dropout prevention organization serving 2M students across 3,571 schools in 29 states plus DC) as authoritative voice on integrated student supports (ISS) through America's Education Breakthrough campaign coordinating 52 congressional offices (58% Republican), 400+ network leaders, and first congressional testimony positioning ISS as “the operating system that makes every other educational investment work”
- Innovated cross-functional collaboration model that scales impact by systematically coordinating policy, communications, organizational health, and network relations teams through frameworks including monthly webinars, advocacy training, and a groundbreaking Community Wisdom Project translating grassroots insights into policy intelligence—creating sustainable infrastructure rather than one-time campaigns
- Positioned CIS as bipartisan bridge-builder and intellectual authority in polarized landscape through historic joint congressional briefing with City Connects establishing CIS as coalition convener, strategic partnerships with Attendance Works advancing chronic absenteeism policy, and thought leadership at intersection of AI in education, workforce development, and eliminating chronic absenteeism—developing “ISS as essential infrastructure” messaging that bridges conservative, independent, and progressive values
Senior Advisor
Office of the Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
04.2023 - 11.2023
- Created federal attendance infrastructure from policy gap to national priority as member of Obama Administration’s My Brother’s Keeper taskforce, launching Every Student, Every Day initiative that engaged 37 states to embed chronic absence in accountability systems, and establishing National Student Attendance, Engagement and Success Center—transforming attendance from overlooked metric to recognized predictor of student success and cornerstone of educational accountability and student supports policy.
- Architected unprecedented education-health partnership by creating ED-HHS Healthy Students, Promising Futures initiative serving 30 million+ Medicaid-enrolled students and co-founding Learning Collaborative across 13 states—demonstrating how federal agencies and states can break down silos to deliver integrated services, establishing model that persists beyond administration change.
- Led federal strategy to disrupt school-to-prison pipeline by developing and disseminating open-source School Climate Surveys and improvement resources that supported hundreds of districts to replace punitive discipline with restorative approaches—proving that federal leadership could shift entrenched practices through tools and technical assistance rather than mandates.
- Served as Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten’s chief elementary and secondary education policy, political, and operations advisor, helping effectively manage ED’s $86 billion program portfolio, 4,000+ political and career staff, federal interagency collaboration, and nationwide implementation of $122 billion in American Rescue Plan education relief funding
Senior Policy Advisor & Project Lead, Science of Learning and Development Alliance
EducationCounsel LLC
07.2018 - 09.2021
- Co-founded, managed, and scaled Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) Alliance into high-impact national partnership serving 3 million+ educators and systems leaders across 54 states and territories, translating cutting-edge neuroscience and developmental research into actionable policy and practice guidance—establishing multi-disciplinary coalition as field-building force advancing whole-child education
- Cultivated strategic relationships necessary to lead and drive impact of SoLD National Advisory Committee and SoLD Equity Working Group, facilitating collaboration among founding partners (American Institutes for Research, Learning Policy Institute, Forum for Youth Investment, Populace, Turnaround for Children) with diverse missions and approaches
Co-Founder and National Director
Teach Kindness, Stand for Children
02.2017 - 05.2018
- Co-founded first-of-its-kind online SEL program by cultivating innovative team of educators and software developers to map middle school experience and create Teach Kindness platform effectively engaging students and educators to measurably improve school climate while addressing social-emotional, discipline, and safety needs
- Raised $700K from leading philanthropies and successfully launched program reaching 6,000+ educators in 1,100 schools across all 50 states—proving concept that kindness can be systematically taught and measured, reducing exclusionary discipline while strengthening classroom relationships
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary
04.2016 - 01.2017
- Advised Secretaries Arne Duncan and John King on educational equity and innovation for 48 million PreK-12 students as member of Obama Administration’s My Brother’s Keeper federal taskforce
Member, My Brother’s Keeper Federal Taskforce
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
05.2014 - 01.2017
- Created Every Student, Every Day cross-sector initiative engaging 37 states to address chronic absence within statewide accountability systems—pioneering approach making attendance a federal policy priority; established National Student Attendance, Engagement and Success Center providing technical assistance nationwide
- Created and directed ED-HHS Healthy Students, Promising Futures initiative expanding services for 30 million+ Medicaid-enrolled students; co-founded federal-state Learning Collaborative across 13 states building sustainable education-health partnerships
- Directed ED’s school-to-prison pipeline disruption efforts through open-source School Climate Surveys and improvement resources combating punitive discipline, bullying, and disengagement
Assistant Director
Aspen Institute Education & Society Program
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Leveraged practical school leadership experience to provide expert policy counsel to national education leaders. Designed and implemented professional development programs promoting innovative systems-thinking among urban superintendents and federal policymakers.
Principal
Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Led comprehensive school operations for 420-student high school including general operations, financial management ($4M budget), professional development, curriculum development, and community outreach (51 staff).
Founding Principal
The Urban Assembly Academy of Government and Law
01.2004 - 01.2009
- Founded and led Title I law and government-themed public high school in New York City’s Lower East Side serving diverse community of 320 students ($3M budget, 28 staff). Led staff to develop unique evidence-based approach to project-based learning, intensive student supports, and comprehensive youth development. School celebrated 20th anniversary in 2024-25.
Social Studies Teacher & Director of Student Activities
Huntington Park High School, Los Angeles Unified School District
01.1998 - 01.2002
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Columbia University
New York, NYMaster in Public Affairs - Domestic Policy Studies
Princeton University
Princeton, NJAffiliations
- Board Member: SMYAL, School Leader Lab
- Advisory Board: Attendance Works, Beyond100K
- Advisor: Greater Good in Education, UC Berkeley
- Coalition for Community Schools Steering Committee
- Science of Learning & Development Alliance Strategic Communications Working Group
RECOGNITION & IMPACT
Federal Senior Executive Service Member (2023), Young Leader, U.S.-Spain Council (2023), Transformational Leader, New Leaders (2022), The President’s Leadership Workshop for Senior Political Appointees, Obama White House (2015), Honoree, Latino LGBTQ Heroes, Washington DC Latino LGBTQ History Project (2013), Edward P. Bullard Distinguished Alumnus Award, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University (2010)
Timeline
Vice President for Policy, Marketing, and Communications
Communities In Schools
04.2024 - Current
Senior Advisor
Office of the Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
04.2023 - 11.2023
Senior Policy Advisor & Project Lead, Science of Learning and Development Alliance
EducationCounsel LLC
07.2018 - 09.2021
Co-Founder and National Director
Teach Kindness, Stand for Children
02.2017 - 05.2018
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary
04.2016 - 01.2017
Member, My Brother’s Keeper Federal Taskforce
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
05.2014 - 01.2017
Assistant Director
Aspen Institute Education & Society Program
01.2010 - 01.2014
Principal
Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy
01.2009 - 01.2010
Founding Principal
The Urban Assembly Academy of Government and Law
01.2004 - 01.2009
Social Studies Teacher & Director of Student Activities
Huntington Park High School, Los Angeles Unified School District
01.1998 - 01.2002
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Columbia University
Master in Public Affairs - Domestic Policy Studies
Princeton University