Stela Radovanovic

Co-founder, Executive Director

Stela Radovanovic is a highly accomplished professional in the field of education, with a focus on serving multilingual learners. Her most recent role was as the Executive Director for Research, Instruction, and Professional Learning in the NYC Department of Education’s Division of Multilingual Learners (DML). Throughout her career, Stela has dedicated herself to supporting teachers and administrators in their professional development, as well as developing instructional resources specifically tailored for multilingual learners.

With a strong belief in the importance of research, Stela continually stays updated on the latest advancements in language and content learning. She is committed to translating this research into practical teaching practices. During her career, Stela has worked with MLs in a variety of settings, including large bilingual programs in Spanish and Vietnamese, as well as English as a New Language (ENL) programs.

Through her diverse experiences, Stela has gained a deep understanding of the ever-growing demands of the global economy and its impact on teaching and learning. She firmly believes that all multilingual learners, regardless of their language proficiency, have the potential to engage with grade-level knowledge. This belief has shaped her work as a teacher and administrator and continues to drive her passion for supporting educators of multilingual learners in NYC and beyond.

Outside of her professional life, Stela enjoys long walks, reading, and practicing Pilates.

Miguel Cordero

Co-founder, Chief Learning Officer (STEM)

Miguel Cordero brings over three decades of leadership experience in advancing mathematics education within the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE). As the former Executive Director of STEM for the Division of Teaching & Learning, he spearheaded the development and implementation of key policies and professional learning initiatives across Mathematics, Science, Technology, and Engineering (STEM). Thanks to his leadership and vision, the STEM team effectively supported the diverse needs of educators and their students.

Driven by his deep commitment to education, Miguel obtained his Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico before advancing his studies in New York. There, he earned two master’s degrees, one in mathematics and another in district leadership, solidifying his expertise in the field.

Miguel’s drive for equitable access to quality education steered him towards the NYC DOE, starting as a high school math teacher. This role provided him with deep insights into multilingual learners’ needs. Climbing the ranks, he enhanced his strategies for supporting immigrant communities, evolving from teacher to supervisor, then to district leader. Miguel believes in engaging students as ‘doers’ of mathematics, focusing on empowering learners from diverse backgrounds by tapping into their cultural experiences and funds of knowledge. Drawing on the latest research, he aims to uplift underserved groups. Beyond his career, Miguel enjoys bicycling and traveling with friends and family.

Daicy Diaz-Granados

Bilingual Education Expert Advisor

Daicy Diaz-Granados holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education from the CUNY Graduate Center and a Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education from The City College of New York. Her award-winning dissertation is based on oral histories and life stories which were analyzed to identify the components of agentic and empowering educational experiences of traditionally marginalized students.

A lifelong educator, Daicy began her teaching career at the Dual Language Middle School in New York City where she helped develop and implement a dual language curriculum in social studies, literature, writing and geography in both English and Spanish that was rigorous, culturally sustaining and through which students saw their lives, histories and culture reflected. Early on in her teaching career, Daicy witnessed the agentic power of an educational model in which a student’s linguistic repertoires, strengths, culture, family, community and identity were celebrated and centered in the curriculum and pedagogy, and the importance of research-based educational inquiry.

With over 25 years experience in education, she draws from her expertise as a teacher, administrator, professional development content creator/facilitator, curriculum writer, researcher, and scholar to provide resources and support to educators, administrators, multilingual learners, and immigrant-origin families.