Jenny Portillo-Nacu is an expert in elementary education and culturally responsive sustaining pedagogy and an experienced instructional coach. She specializes in providing equity-centered training and technical assistance (TTA) that builds the capacity of state departments of education, districts, and schools to adopt and sustain instructional practices that support student belonging and family engagement.
As a senior TTA associate for EDC’s First 10 initiative, Portillo-Nacu collaborates with states and communities to implement the First 10 model to establish high-quality, cohesive educational, parenting, and community supports.
Beyond EDC, Portillo-Nacu provides TTA for the Region I Equity Assistance Center and serves as project manager for the Collaborative on Political Leadership in the Superintendency.
Previously, Portillo-Nacu was an elementary school teacher, school administrator, professional development facilitator, and curriculum designer. She is the lead author of 21st Century Learning at Home and Empowering Multilingual Families.
Portillo-Nacu holds an EdM in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, an MA in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA from Fordham University. She is fluent in Spanish and English.