Dr. Magaly Lavadenz serves as Distinguished Professor of English Learner Policy, Research and Practice in the Department of Educational Leadership and Founding Executive Director of Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners. Previous academic appointments include as Chair of the Teacher Education, Founding Associate Director of LMU’s doctoral program in Educational Leadership for Social Justice, and as Founding Director of Spanish and Mandarin Bilingual/Bicultural Teacher Education and TESOL programs.
She is the current President of Californians Together, a statewide advocacy organization that promotes quality education for the state’s dual language learners and emerging bilingual students. Past leadership positions include past president of the California Council on Teacher Education, the California Association for Bilingual Education, and as founding president of the California Association of Bilingual Teacher Educators. She also works actively with district, county and school partners to support equitable access to quality multilingual education in the state, nation and internationally.
Her research in the areas of educational equity and the preparation and support of teachers of English Learners, Latin@ communities, and biliteracy has been published in journals, book chapters and books, including Latinos and Civil Rights in Education: La Lucha Sigue with Anaida Colón Muñiz. She has served as principal investigator for over 34 grant projects.
Dr. Lavadenz completed a Ph.D. in Education, specializing in Language, Literacy and Learning, from the University of Southern California. Born in Cuba, Magaly is a former elementary bilingual classroom teacher and K-12 English as a Second Language Teacher Specialist.