Dr. Noemi Villegas has dedicated her life to cultivating school communities that are centered in the humanization of all individuals. Dr. Villegas has worked at the school, district, county, state and national level, advocating for the implementation of school systems that actively work to recognize, value, honor and affirm the inherent humanity of young people. In partnership with diverse school and community members, she has led system-wide implementation of transformative educational ecosystems that actively work to make educational shifts and are responsive to the lived realities of young people, adults and overall school community. Dr. Villegas has received 2 post-doctoral equity fellowships; she has been a member of Racial Equity Fellows Program, and an Adjunct Faculty at California University of Long Beach. She has also served as the Legislative & Policy Committee member of the California School Counselor Association and has facilitated the inaugural California Student Mental Health Summit. Dr. Villegas is an active member of the Kansas University Senate Committees for Staff Wellness, and CARE (Community Action, Respect & Engagement) engaging in the development of policies and practices that highlight student, educator and adult wellbeing. In her current role, as a Leadership Research Director at SWIFT in KU, Dr. Villegas' portfolio includes the implementation of national educational policy that enhances healthy and sustainable educational change. Dr. Villegas is committed to cultivating the implementation of educational models, systems and policies that are driven by ongoing transformation and centered in love, identity and healing.