Iris Zuniga is the Co-founder of Amanecer Consulting Group, where she’s dedicated to scaling impactful and results-driven social strategies. Previously, Iris spent over a decade managing Cradle to College and Career, place-based initiatives, focusing on breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty throughout Los Angeles County. Her ability to leverage public and private investments has impacted communities throughout California. Her passion centers on increasing academic achievement and access for underrepresented students and breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
Iris decided to enroll in LMU’s Ed.D. Program after ten years of contemplation. The “right time” was not arriving, and post-pandemic, she decided to finally pursue her dream of a doctorate. The emphasis on social justice and leadership compelled her to enroll at LMU. It is a program designed to support working professionals, which means LMU clearly understands that obtaining a doctorate cannot be done in the traditional sense for many working students. In addition, there was a strong alignment between Iris’ core values as an equity-driven leader, the emphasis on social justice within LMU’s School of Education, and the notion of disrupting inequitable systems.
Iris's dissertation, “Scaling the Community School Model, from Federal to State with an Equity Leadership Framework,” chaired by Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., aimed to explore how an equity leadership framework has guided public sector leaders in California as they implement the California Community School Partnership Program. Her study was significant as it provided the field of education an insider’s view of Equity Leadership in practice as it relates to implementing a place-based, equity-driven initiative in California.
Iris's participation in LMU’s Ed.D. Program has brought great personal fulfillment. It was a dream of hers to earn this degree in honor of her parents and the many sacrifices they made to ensure she had opportunities that they did not have in their respective home countries of Guatemala and Mexico, and also for her three children—modeling the importance of higher education and the responsibility that comes with it. In addition to personal fulfillment, Representation matters, and knowing that only 1% of the Latino population has a doctorate is troubling. Current outcomes are not by default.