Honee Herrera Gil Institutional Capacity Coordinator Excelencia in Education Email hgil@edexcelencia.org Current Position: As the Institutional Capacity Coordinator, Honee works with colleagues to connect and engage institutional teams to Excelencia’s technical assistance support and the Seal of Excelencia. She serves as an essential connection point to the Institutional Capacity team and actively engages with institutional partners, affiliates, and constituents, fostering trust and maintaining high-quality communications. She plays a vital role in program operations to keep team members informed, organized, and connected so that the team can deliver on its goals to support institutions on their journeys to more intentionally serve Latino, and all, students. Honee also leads the Institutional Capacity team’s data collection to inform strategic planning and decision making to support the organization’s commitment to serving the Latino community, with a specific focus on how these efforts contribute to institutional transformation and progression through the Ladder of Engagement.Past Experiences: Honee has previous leadership experience in programs designed to help various underserved groups, including migrant families, students with disabilities, non-traditional transfer students, and first-generation college students. Her commitment to education and social justice grew stronger through these roles. In her last role at GEAR UP, she played a crucial role in improving the academic achievements and college preparedness for students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds. Beyond her work with GEAR UP, Honee has made significant contributions to the migrant community – assisting farm workers in obtaining their GEDs to empower them to pursue further education, and working collaboratively with school staff, district leaders, parents, and community members to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students. Additionally, she served as a staff advisor for a student organization supporting Dreamers, offering support and encouragement to undocumented students as they navigated their educational journeys.Why are you bringing your talent to Excelencia?I am deeply committed to expanding educational opportunities and equity for underserved communities. Being part of a comunidad that’s dedicated to empowering Latino student success, such as Excelencia, is a true privilege. Excelencia’s platform offers me an opportunity to expand the reach of my work, fostering institutional growth and transformation on a national platform. I’m eager to continue advocating for access to quality education for every student and to support Excelencia in its mission to promote educational success for Latino, and all, students.How would you describe working at Excelencia?Working at Excelencia fills me with a sense of purpose and excitement. The commitment to educational equity and the success of Latino students is tangible in all of our technical assistance work. Our team’s passion contributes to a working environment that encourages innovation and teamwork. I am honored to play a role in intentionally SERVING Latino students and to collaborate with a team that’s genuinely making an impact every day.