Marisol Alvarado
San Diego,CA
Summary
I’m a mission-driven nonprofit executive with over 17 years of experience designing, scaling, and sustaining programs that center equity, healing, and opportunity for system-impacted youth and families.
My work is grounded in relationship, rooted in justice, and always focused on outcomes that matter. I bring deep experience in strategic planning, program design, cross-sector collaboration, team development, and values-driven change leadership.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Programs Officer
Monarch School Project
San Diego
08.2020 - 06.2025
- Led a comprehensive program portfolio for system-impacted K-12 youth and families, overseeing 9 core programs and a 56-person team during a period of critical organizational transformation and scale.
- Championed a trauma-informed, strength-based approach to foster healing, build skill, and drive equitable outcomes.
- Drove a crucial leadership restructure by establishing a new Senior Director layer, effectively freeing up 70% of executive time to focus on systems development and high-level strategic planning.
- Developed Monarch’s first program logic models and outcomes frameworks, formalizing quality standards and ensuring data-driven alignment across all teams and partner sites.
- Expanded services through critical partnerships with the San Diego Housing Commission and San Diego County Office of Education, scaling new delivery models in behavioral health, housing support, and education.
- Established a robust succession pipeline by coaching and promoting 5+ internal leaders into Director-level roles, while deepening strategic presence through a 6-month executive coaching engagement.
- Launched and scaled Alumni Engagement and Family Resource Center initiatives to improve long-term student retention.
- Represented Monarch in 10+ public forums (including EdSurge, CSU San Marcos, and San Diego State University’s College of Education) speaking on trauma-informed systems, MTSS, and advocating for trauma-informed systems and equity in education.
Interim Chief Executive Officer (Vice President, Programs)
Monarch School
San Diego, CA
01.2020 - 08.2020
- Appointed during a critical leadership transition and global pandemic to provide executive stability and guide the organization through an unprecedented operational pivot.
- Led strategic crisis response, organizational continuity, and community-centered care while maintaining mission alignment.
- Managed the executive leadership team and oversaw day-to-day operations during the CEO search and COVID-19 school closure.
- Pivoted all programs and staff to virtual delivery within weeks, ensuring continuity of education and care for system-impacted youth.
- Designed and executed a multi-department outreach plan to provide students and families with technology, food, shelter, and emotional support.
- Secured emergency funding to retain 100% of staff and launched bi-weekly in-person resource distributions.
- Led with transparency and empathy, preserving community trust, team cohesion, and the integrity of Monarch’s mission under pressure.
Senior Director of Programs
Monarch School
San Diego, CA
09.2016 - 08.2020
- Promoted through progressive leadership roles to oversee multiple student- and family-facing departments including Family Engagement, Behavioral Health, Alumni Services, and Social-Emotional Learning.
- Known for community-rooted innovation, staff development, and cross-functional program design.
- Established Monarch’s Family Engagement Department, launching a trauma-informed, culturally responsive model for supporting system-impacted families.
- Designed and scaled restorative practices programming, including student-led peer mediation (Royal Restoratives) and schoolwide training.
- Developed Monarch’s first Alumni Services framework, supporting students through postsecondary transitions.
- Piloted school-based behavioral health services, integrating SEL and clinical care in partnership with external providers.
- Redesigned onboarding and internal training systems to improve consistency, reduce burnout, and strengthen team alignment.
- Created Monarch’s first internal consultant roles to provide coaching, onboarding, and professional development support across departments.
- Mentored and promoted multiple frontline managers into director-level readiness, seeding the succession pipeline later formalized at the executive level.
- Presented to regional and university audiences on trauma-informed systems, MTSS, and family engagement best practices.
Director of Student Support & Parent Engagement
Monarch School
San Diego, CA
01.2013 - 09.2016
- Led a campus-wide system of academic and behavioral supports to improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.
- Built early models for family advocacy, emotional wellness, and staff collaboration that would become the foundation for Monarch’s integrated support approach.
- Designed and implemented a coordinated system of tiered academic and behavioral interventions across grade levels.
- Supervised a team of parent and student advocates providing direct support to staff, families, and agency partners.
- Built strong interdepartmental partnerships to proactively address emotional and behavioral challenges impacting academic performance.
- Developed early trauma-informed protocols that laid the groundwork for schoolwide restorative practice integration.
- Served as a bridge between families and educators, increasing caregiver participation and strengthening trust with hard-to-reach communities.
Education
Master of Arts - Education, Multicultural Counseling
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA05-2000
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology, Chicano Studies
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA06-1998
Skills
- Program management
- Data analysis
- Trauma-informed practices
- Strategic planning
- Partnership development
- Community engagement
Accomplishments
- Co-author of tool developed to measure construct on Student Restorative Mindset
- Architect of the Monarch Model, now offered as a one unit course at University of San Diego
Timeline
Chief Programs Officer
Monarch School Project
08.2020 - 06.2025
Interim Chief Executive Officer (Vice President, Programs)
Monarch School
01.2020 - 08.2020
Senior Director of Programs
Monarch School
09.2016 - 08.2020
Director of Student Support & Parent Engagement
Monarch School
01.2013 - 09.2016
Master of Arts - Education, Multicultural Counseling
San Diego State University
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology, Chicano Studies
University of California, Santa Barbara