Hilda Maldonado is the senior executive director of diversity, learning, and instruction in the Office of the Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District. In this role, she focuses on student centered systemic changes to accelerate the learning and academic success of students who are emerging bilinguals. Under her leadership, LA Unified increased dual language/bilingual programs throughout the district, increased Seal of Biliteracy student awards, increased reclassification rates, and developed technology tools to assist school leaders in monitoring student progress to ensure all students are recognized for timely progress and achievement. Ms. Maldonado has been awarded the Stanton Fellowship Award by the Durfee Foundation to research multilingualism as an asset in Los Angeles. She has also co-authored articles on her work and most recently led the writing of the 2018 English Learner and Standard English Learner Master Plan, which focused on the students’ home language and dual language programs as the most effective strategies to help English Learners thrive and succeed in school and life. A Spanish-speaking child immigrant from Mexico, she credits her mother for ensuring she maintained her Spanish language and cultural traditions at home and her supportive and caring teachers who helped her to excel in school and in learning English. Because of these experiences, she chose to become a bilingual teacher. Hilda’s research interests are English learners, dual language/bilingual education, effective minority education leaders (leaders of color), and women in leadership.