Ella Farinas was named the Assistant Principal at Octavia E. Butler Magnet in the Pasadena Unified School District for the 2024-25 school year. Prior to this role, she served as the TK-12 STEM Equity & Integration Specialist for the Pasadena Unified School District, where she developed and presented professional development around research-based best practices in STEM integration, culturally responsive pedagogy, literacy, and language development. Additionally, she mentored district instructional coaches in coaching for equity and disrupting deficit language in education. Furthermore, she coordinated the district's Innovation Exposition, PUSD’s alternative to the traditional science fair. Ella's work was aimed at fostering a positive STEM identity in all students, particularly BIPOC girls and gender-expansive youth, who have been historically excluded from STEM.
Ella decided to enroll in LMU's Ed.D. Program to elevate her equity work, amplify her voice, and expand her reach. She sought a deeper understanding of Critical Race Theory to effectively address systemic racism in public schools and work to dismantle it. She pursued knowledge to inform her professional decisions and propel her work as an advocate for social change in curriculum, pedagogy, and education policy. Upon entering the program, one of her main goals as an educational leader was to empower females of color to acknowledge their talents and take steps to pursue the opportunities they deserve.
The rise of violence against Asian American women (AAW) during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Ella to conduct a qualitative study of Asian American women leaders in California public school systems. She was interested in learning how their intersectional positionalities impact their social justice leadership. Her dissertation, “(Re)Inventing Ourselves: An AsianCrit Analysis of Counter-narratives of Asian American Women Who Lead in K-12 Public School Systems,” chaired by Rebecca Stephenson, Ph.D., employed the tenets of Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit) to unpack and synthesize the participants' experiences and identified five themes across their interviews. Based on her findings, Ella recommended a systemic implementation of simultaneous and overlapping supports to build the leadership capacity of AAW educators.
Ella's participation in LMU's Ed.D Program has supported her personal and professional impact in education. The insights she gained through her coursework and dissertation have led to a richer understanding of the role of identity in education, research, and policy. The program provided Ella with the language and tools to lead for social justice and broadened her network, allowing her to bridge communities and partners.Ella is deeply grateful for her LMU family. The faculty, staff, and Cohort 18 have served as invaluable thought partners, cheerleaders, and occasional therapists.