Our Team
Jacqueline Miramontes Espinoza
Director of Strategic Implementation
aka ¡ jackii-mac !
Jacqueline has extensive experience working with philanthropy and funder collaboratives. She previously served as a Senior Program Coordinator for Groundworks New Mexico (formerly the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers). During this period, Jacqueline provided programmatic support for several multi-sector initiatives. Prior to Groundworks, she worked at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a Program Specialist where she managed a grant portfolio focused on advancing economic justice for working families in New Mexico. She also served as a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of New Mexico Cradle to Career Policy Institute, where she provided research support to staff and faculty in the areas of education policy and program evaluation.
CREATIVE OUTLETS:
Reading | Painting | Exploring New Places
EDUCATION:
✶ MBA, Strategic Management and Policy, University of New Mexico
✶ BBA, Marketing Management, University of New Mexico
Meriah Heredia Griego, Ph.D
Co-Founder & CEO
Dr. Heredia-Griego has over 20 years of experience working with youth, families, leaders, and policymakers to address some of the biggest challenges facing children and families through applied policy research, evaluation, and learning. Her work has been critical to shaping policy and funding strategies in the areas of health, education and employment equity. Prior to co-founding Levado, Meriah was an independent consultant, conducting racial equity focused impact research and managing large-scale impact projects with foundations, government agencies and nonprofits. Dr. Heredia-Griego served as Director and Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico Cradle to Career Policy Institute (CCPI), previously the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR).
She effectively partnered with key organizations and stakeholders to conduct interdisciplinary, mixed-methods, applied research in the areas of policy, strategic design and program evaluation, including robust needs assessments and landscape mapping in the areas of HomeVisiting Services, Early Childhood Education Programs, Community Schools, My Brother’s Keeper, College and Career Readiness, Adult Basic Education and Workforce Training. In addition to her role as CCPI director, she also maintained a research portfolio, which included higher education policy, equity-focused research, qualitative research methods, community based participatory research, action research, Hispanic Serving Institution leadership, and workforce training programs.
CREATIVE OUTLETS:
Reading | Running | Collective Problem Solving
WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
I am really passionate about listening to and learning from communities. I have always been a social translator of sorts. It enables me to move across sectors, build relationships, amplify counter-narratives, and make strategic connections.
EDUCATION:
✶ Ph.D, Higher Education & Human Resources, Colorado State University
✶ Master's of Community & Regional Planning (MCRP), University of New Mexico
✶ BA, Broadcast Journalism and Chicana/o Studies, University of New Mexico
Darlene Castillo
Evaluation & Learning Manager
Darlene has 10 years of experience conduction research, evaluation and analysis. Her work has involved data analysis and collection through interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Prior to joining Levado, Darlene worked at UNM’s Cradle to Career Policy Institute as a Research Scientist and was involved in numerous projects regarding education and childcare access. Currently she is a graduate student at UNM’s Master of Public Policy program. Darlene’s policy interests are in health equity, education, and immigrants’ rights.
CREATIVE OUTLETS:
Traveling | Journaling | Community Service
EDUCATION:
✶ B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Chemistry, University of New Mexico
✶ In process - Master of Public Policy, University of New Mexico
Frank Mirabal, Ph.D
Co-Founder & Partner
Dr. Frank Mirabal has extensive experience with cross-sector, collaborative approaches aimed at improving outcomes for youth and adults. Dr. Mirabal leverages this cross-sector expertise to advise national organizations, including the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Strive Together.
Prior to founding Levado, Frank served six years in appointed positions in the Mayor’s Office for the City of Albuquerque under two mayoral administrations. In these roles, Dr. Mirabal focused on building and supporting multi-sector partnerships with the business community, philanthropy, government, academia, and the social sector to address some of the most pervasive issues the Albuquerque metro area faced. A short list of the initiatives Dr. Mirabal led in the Mayor’s Office include, My Brother’s Keeper ABQ in partnership with the Obama White House and later the Obama Foundation, City Alive, an initiative focused on economic inclusion through entrepreneurship, and Mission: Graduate. He is a Presidio Institute Cross-Sector Leadership Fellow, a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow, and is an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DO THIS WORK WITH COMMUNITY?
It means everything! We have to do a better job of shifting power dynamics in communities, so those most proximate to the issues have the most resonate voices in finding solutions that meet the needs of their communities.
EDUCATION:
✶ Ph.D, Educational Leadership, New Mexico State University
✶ MPA, University of New Mexico
✶ BA, Communications and Journalism, University of New Mexico
WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
I’m passionate about storytelling. I tell stories through music production, podcasting, documentary filmmaking and creative writing.
—•Extended Family•—
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Erick Diaz
Contractor
Erick is the Founder of Studio 13 - Community Development Consultants, a consulting company focused on helping community development organizations create more housing opportunities for low-income families.
Erick has worked in affordable housing development, finance, and policy for the past 10+ years and understands how to leverage tools and resources to maximize impact. He has underwritten over $100M in debt and equity investments for affordable housing projects in his roles at CDFIs, which have collectively leveraged over $1B in additional investments. He also uses geospatial and statistical analysis to inform policy decisions, and has conducted housing and demographic analysis for the California Housing Partnership, the City of Albuquerque, and the New Mexico Community Trust.
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Julianna Silva
Contractor
Nurtured by her deep New Mexican roots, Julianna’s mission is to help diverse entrepreneurs thrive and find joy in starting and growing a business.
As a graduate of UNM Anderson School of Business she embarked on a path of lifelong entrepreneurship that drives her commitment to helping others understand and implement key practices in their businesses including strategic planning, finance, accounting and marketing. She does this by creating engaging and non-intimidating learning environments and consulting sessions for her clients.
She is the Founder and CEO of Silva Strategies, an Albuquerque firm that offers finance operations and strategy services that transform systems and workflows into thriving businesses.
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Lexi Hager
Contractor
aka lex-n-effect! Lexi is the Founder of Rhiza Creative, a boutique firm specializing in crafting narratives and ideating strategy. She believes in the power of knowledge sharing. Her work focuses on creating content that is both engaging and easy to understand.
As a graduate of California College of the Arts, she offers unique design solutions while engaging in participatory storytelling. Her firm combines creativity with technology, providing partners with the tools they need to produce compelling and authentic content.
Central to the West, Lexi strives to share knowledge and resources through an interconnected network of partners, across places and sectors. Her creative spark is ignited by those around her, nature, and soundscapes.
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Junious Williams
Contractor
Mr. Williams is the principal of Junious Williams Consulting, a firm specializing in collaboration design, facilitation, and program and strategy development focused on increasing equity and social justice.
He has worked extensively over the past 30 years on a variety of multi-stakeholder, multi-sector collaborations and collective impact initiatives providing guidance and support for efforts addressing social issues ranging from full-service community schools to cradle-to-career pathways. He also engages in opportunity youth education and employment to improving outcomes for boys and men of color.
He holds a Juris Doctorate and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Michigan, where he also pursued graduate studies in education administration.
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Katie Avery
Contractor
Katie is a Professional Learning Director with Panorama Education, where she provides strategic advising to school districts nationwide who are committed to centering student, family, and staff voices in efforts to improve school culture and climate. Katie also engages in local consulting, supporting public education and education-adjacent entities with stakeholder engagement, family resource development, language access, and equity-centered design and programming.
Before moving to New Mexico to serve as the Strategic Outreach Director for the Public Education Department in 2019, Katie led educator development at the Flamboyan Foundation. She spent the first fifteen years of her career in Washington D.C. where she served as a bilingual Montessori teacher, charter school co-founder, teacher evaluator and coach, engagement trainer, anti-bias facilitator, and educational director.
She holds a BA in Criminal Justice from The George Washington University, attended The Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies for her Primary Teacher training, and currently lives in Albuquerque with her two truly awesome children.