Katya Rodriguez

Director of Impact & Evaluation

Born in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, and growing up in Calexico, California, Katya came from a household where education was not a priority, instead her family focused on things that would apply to “real life.” That, combined with attending an underperforming school, led her to understand first-hand the results of receiving a low-quality public education, and how it inherently puts students at a disadvantage in college and beyond.

Katya is the Director of Impact and Evaluation at the Equity Institute. In her work, she combines her experience and passion to ensure educators provide the high-quality and equitable education students deserve. While there is a lot of work to be done to create an equitable system, Katya wants to ensure that people who have experienced these challenges first hand – like herself- are those at the decision-making table. 

Being Latina has influenced Katya’s drive and wanting to do more for her community. She thinks about her future children and their experience in this country, Katya often thinks, “ what can I  do to make sure they have a better life than I did? To ensure that people don’t tell them to ‘go back to their rancho’ or where they came from. To ensure they don’t feel “less” than others simply because they are Latinx and to receive the opportunities they deserve.”