Natalia Defiel
Minneapolis,MN
Summary
Equity-driven educator, project manager, and leader with 10+ years of experience designing professional development, supervising diverse teams, and advancing systemic equity initiatives. Skilled in coaching, data-informed decision-making, and stakeholder engagement across school, district, and community levels. Proven success in building inclusive systems, cultivating donor and community partnerships, and aligning organizational practices with mission-driven equity goals. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Proactive and goal-oriented professional with excellent time management and problem-solving skills. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to learn and apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organizational growth.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
6
6
Certification
Work History
Spanish Faculty
DeLaSalle High School
01.2021 - Current
- Lead schoolwide equity efforts as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee; co-authored racial and bias response protocols and contributed to institutional vision statements.
- Coordinated complex scheduling as part of the Scheduling Committee, balancing leadership, faculty, and student needs.
- Cultivated donor relationships, securing two consecutive $25,000 donations, ensuring documentation and alignment with school equity priorities.
- Teach and manage 130+ students annually with a focus on culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive classroom practices.
- Prepare confidential reports and materials for leadership and committee work.
- Faculty and Staff Board of Directors representative
Graduate Instructor
University of Minnesota
01.2014 - 01.2019
- Supervised courses and administrative operations for 300+ students across five programs.
- Organized and co-chaired the Horror Vacui graduate conference, managing logistics, budgets, and communications.
- Represented graduate students in faculty meetings; prepared reports and facilitated communication.
- Conducted research and delivered presentations nationally and internationally, adapting to diverse audiences.
- Facilitated classroom discussions, encouraging critical thinking and active participation among students.
- Developed and delivered engaging course materials to enhance student learning outcomes.
- Evaluated student performance through assessments, providing constructive feedback for improvement.
- Contributed to curriculum development and revision efforts, ensuring alignment with current best practices in higher education.
Spanish Content Manager / Project Manager, World Languages (Spanish)
Carnegie Learning
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Directed multiple concurrent projects, ensuring timely deliverables and executive-level reporting.
- Supervised authors, editors, and vendors; managed contracts, budgets, and content production.
- Designed and implemented cultural sensitivity guidelines adopted across departments.
- Coordinated workflows across diverse teams, increasing efficiency and accountability.
- Developed reports, lesson plans, and presentations for both internal and external stakeholders.
Seasonal Lecturer
University of Wisconsin–River Falls
01.2019 - 01.2019
- Taught a self-designed course, “Hispanic Authoritarian Regimes through Comedy in Film.”
- Coordinated course schedules, grading systems, and classroom management.
- Delivered professional communication and inclusive teaching in collaboration with faculty and staff.
Education
Ph.D. - Hispanic Literature and Cultures
University of Minnesota
M.A. - Hispanic Literature and Cultures
University of Minnesota
B.A. - Hispanic Literatures and Cultures
University of Minnesota
Skills
- Equity & Inclusion Leadership: Policy development, racial equity protocols, cultural responsiveness
- Leadership & Supervision: Staff coaching, evaluation, professional growth planning, team management
- Professional Development Design: Equity-centered PD, culturally relevant curriculum, conference organization
- Strategic Project Management: Cross-department collaboration, budgeting, timelines, reporting
- Data-Informed Decision-Making: Program evaluation, site-level coaching, monitoring achievement gaps
- Community Engagement: Donor cultivation, stakeholder collaboration, bilingual communication
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Friendly, positive attitude
- Customer service
Certification
- Becoming Trauma Informed: A Primer for Educators – University of St. Thomas
- TOLI Regional Seminar – Honoring Resilience: Learning from the Holocaust, Dakota Exile, and Minnesota’s Tribal Nations (2024)
- Equity & Diversity Certificate – University of Minnesota
- Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations – Rice University
- Leading Teams: Developing as a Leader – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Leadership for an Increasingly Diverse World – University of Notre Dame
- Foundations of Health Equity Research – Johns Hopkins University
- Learning and Development Certificate – HRCI University
Languages
Fluent in English and Spanish
Timeline
Spanish Faculty
DeLaSalle High School
01.2021 - Current
Spanish Content Manager / Project Manager, World Languages (Spanish)
Carnegie Learning
01.2020 - 01.2021
Seasonal Lecturer
University of Wisconsin–River Falls
01.2019 - 01.2019
Graduate Instructor
University of Minnesota
01.2014 - 01.2019
M.A. - Hispanic Literature and Cultures
University of Minnesota
B.A. - Hispanic Literatures and Cultures
University of Minnesota
Ph.D. - Hispanic Literature and Cultures
University of Minnesota