Maria Casillas
Member

Maria Antoineta Casillas was appointed Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioner by Mayor Villaraigosa on Monday, August 15, 2005. She believes, "the promise of our nation will be fully realized only when every student is provided the necessary opportunities to achieve academic success, when their families are respected as valuable partners in the learning process, and when communities uncompromisingly protect and nurture their children's pathway to the future.

Born in El Paso, Texas to immigrant parents, Ms. Casillas was the youngest of 11 children. Her parents migrated from Mexico to escape religious persecution. Ms. Casillas earned her Bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Texas, El Paso and went on to receive her Master's degree in Urban Education from California State University (CSU), Los Angeles. Ms. Casillas continued her career in education, serving more than 20 years as teacher, elementary school principal and regional superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Her contributions as teacher and administrator have also taken her to Guadalajara, Mexico and Texas, as well as various campuses in the CSU system.

In 1995, Ms. Casillas helped establish the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project (LAAMP). This organization was formed to strengthen the intellectual and civic capacity of the region in order to improve the educational outcome for all students. A "new educational structure known as the School Family … brought together teachers, administrators, and parents… (and created) a stable learning environment…by encouraging coordination among schools and between grade levels." The Annenberg challenge drew to a close and a final report, released June 2003, indicated the national effort a partial success.

Families in Schools (FIS), of which Ms. Casillas is currently the President, is the legacy of LAAMP. This non-profit organization is committed to school reform through: training, technical assistance, support plans, and evaluation of effective programs. FIS has earned the Partnership Organization Award for three years out of its four year history. Because of her leadership and dedication to community empowerment and education, Ms. Casillas was saluted as a Visionary Honoree in 1998 by the National Latina Alliance. She is co-chair for Los Angeles' Presidents' Joint Commission on LAUSD Government, and has held various leadership roles through the California State Department of Education. Ms. Casillas also served on the Commission for Youth and their Families for the City of Los Angeles.