Daira Ramirez-Ontiveros: “Leading Equity-Focused School Systems and Support”

Title: Senior Dean of Operations
Organization: Summit Public Schools
Age: 34

Daira Ramirez Ontiveros brings 10+ years of experience managing school operations, student support, and community engagement. She has led systems for enrollment, testing, and safety while building strong partnerships to support student success.

Her bilingual skills enhance family outreach. Growing up as a Latina immigrant in a low-income, single-parent household, she experienced firsthand the systemic barriers that limit access to education.

Now, as Dean of Operations at a majority-Latinx high school, she leads equity-focused efforts to ensure students and families thrive beyond the classroom. In response to her school’s closure, she led a community-centered transition plan focused on equity and dignity. By coordinating bilingual outreach, logistics, and policy changes, she helped over 90% of families transition smoothly—proving operational leaders can drive systemic change.