February Update
Founder of ALAS | Pioneer of Latino Educational Leadership
As MI-ALAS launches its work across Michigan, we are honored to introduce our members to Ricardo Medina, one of the founders of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) and a trailblazer in Latino educational leadership, both in Michigan and nationally.
Originally from Seguin in the San Antonio, Texas area, Mr. Medina grew up in a family of twelve and migrated seasonally to Michigan as a child to work in the sugar beet fields before his family settled permanently in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1966. These experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to hard work, equity, access, and opportunity through education.
Mr. Medina entered education later in life, earning his bachelor’s degree from Saginaw Valley at age 30 while working at General Motors and attending college part time. He began his career as a Bilingual Teacher in Bridgeport Public Schools and later taught machine tool technology in Saginaw Public Schools. He earned advanced degrees from Michigan State University and served at the Michigan Department of Education before moving to Arizona.
In the 1980s, he played a key role in Title VII bilingual education efforts in Saginaw, helping develop and certify bilingual teachers and creating one of Michigan’s earliest homegrown pipelines for Latino educators.
In 2000, after serving as a Superintendent in EL Centro, California, Ricardo returned to Michigan as Superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools, becoming the second Latino superintendent in state history. During his tenure (2000–2005), he helped pass a long-standing bond issue, stabilized district finances, and focused on improving student achievement, often while navigating the added burden of being a Latino leader in predominantly white systems.
Nationally, Mr. Medina helped found ALAS in 2003–2004, emerging from conversations among Latino superintendents at the AASA annual conference. He served as the Midwest regional representative and later as President of ALAS, helping launch the ALAS Superintendents Leadership Academy (SLA) with support from a $1 million Kellogg Foundation grant. The academy mentored future national leaders, including Richard Carranza and Francisco Duran.
Today, Mr. Medina remains committed to mentoring and capacity building. He envisions MI-ALAS as a space for connection, collaboration, and coaching, and has expressed interest in supporting the organization as an advisor, historian, and mentor.
MI-ALAS is proud to honor Ricardo Medina, a pioneer, a founder, a mentor, and a living legacy whose work continues to shape our future.
Pam Schwallier may not be Latina by birth, but she’s Latina en su corazón and her work alongside Latino educators, students, and families reflects that commitment every day.
Pam is the Director of EL & Bilingual Programs at West Ottawa Public Schools in Holland, Michigan, where she partners with educators to serve multilingual learners and build systems that honor language, culture, and identity as assets. This year West Ottawa proudly opened the doors of Los Lagos Bilingual Academy, their first elementary school fully dedicated to a 90:10 two-way dual language program serving both native English & native Spanish speakers together! Pam's pathway in education began in the classroom and expanded across West Michigan through her work as a Regional EL Consultant. Along the way, she earned her PhD in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, focusing her research on K–12 schools’ civil rights responsibilities to English Learners (yes, she’s passionate about both people and policy).
Pam serves on the Michigan Department of Education’s English Learner Advisory and regularly presents at conferences nationwide, but she’ll be the first to say her greatest learning often comes from listening - to students, families, and educators doing the work on the ground.
Outside of her professional role, Pam enjoys running with friends, exploring new places around the world, and cheering for her kids at their activities. She believes deeply in joy, community, and collective responsibility, and is grateful to stand in partnership with the MI-ALAS community to support current & future Latino leaders in education!
Q&A with Pam:
What is one lesson Latino students or families have taught you that shaped your leadership?
Latino students and families have taught me the power of generosity, humility, and relentless work ethic—watching parents give everything they have to create better opportunities for their children has deeply shaped how I lead and advocate.
How do you approach being an ally and advocate as someone who is not Latina?
I do my very best to listen deeply, learn constantly, and lead with Latino colleagues and communities—using my role to open doors and amplify voices.
What helps you recharge and stay grounded when the work feels heavy?
Having mentors, role models, and colleagues who have a deep, shared belief in this collective work is so important! Of course, I also live by the philosophy of "work hard, play hard!" The work can present unique challenges and feel heavy at times, but it's equally important to find (or create!) joy and fun along the way.
The Día de la Mujer Conference was founded in 1994 by Maria Zavala, an undergraduate student at Michigan State University, to celebrate the achievements of Latina women in our community. Since then, DDLM has evolved into a comprehensive series of workshops focused on key areas such as Leadership, Education, Health, Advocacy, Antiracism, Legal Issues, STEM, Family, Finance, Business, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Empowerment for all participants.
DDLM serves as a statewide leadership and empowerment conference dedicated to advancing leadership and empowerment for everyone regardless of background. Its mission is to empower, motivate, inspire, and expand opportunities for all who seek to center Latina women.
The 31st Annual DDLM Conference:
Date: February 21st, 2026
Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Location: Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Located in: Michigan State University
Address: 219 S Harrison Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517-432-4000
- Wednesday, May 6, 2026 📆
- MABE, MI-ALAS and ISTE are joining forces to host a first-of-its-kind professional learning pre-conference designed specifically for administrators and school leaders.
- The pre-conference will provide a dedicated space for educational leaders to examine AI’s role in shaping equitable and future-ready learning environments.
- Unlike traditional teacher-centered sessions that highlight classroom tools, this event will focus on leadership-level innovation and decision-making.
- Participants will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to strategically drive instruction, improve systems, and inform leadership decisions.
- Register here! 🎯