Board Members

Nestor Henriquez is a State & Federal Coordinator for the Merced County Office of Education, supporting English Learners and multilingual initiatives across Region 7. His work includes Title III Consortium coordination, policy guidance, and implementation of the California EL Roadmap. Nestor has also been actively involved in Teach Plus and Californians Together’s ELLI, where he contributes to efforts that strengthen equity and outcomes for English Learners.

Manuel serves an Inclusion Coordinator at the Merced County Office of Education, where he supports districts and school sites in strengthening equity-driven systems for English learners, newcomer students, and students with disabilities. With a background in special education, migrant education, instructional coaching, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Manuel brings an asset-based lens to designing inclusive learning environments that honor the linguistic and cultural strengths of all students.

Leonard began his career as a classroom teacher at Eastin Arcola School and later joined the founding leadership team at Pershing Elementary, helping establish the school’s vision. He went on to serve as a District Academic Coach, supporting instructional practices across the district, before transitioning into administration, where he spent most of his career at James Monroe Elementary and contributed to launching Madera Unified’s first Dual Language Immersion school. Currently, Leonard is the Coordinator, Dual Language Immersion & Teacher Residency Programs for Madera Unified School District.

Hola, soy Gloria G. Carrasco from Winton, California. The eldest of four siblings, I learned English as my second language. I earned a B.A. in Mathematics from CSU Stanislaus, where my husband and I started our family. I later obtained an M.S. in Instructional Technology from Grand Canyon University, with a passion for equitable, technology-enhanced learning in education.