Cynthia Nava

Cynthia Nava is the Executive Director of Teach for America, New Mexico.

Cynthia’s goal has always been to put the student first, and her belief is that all students can meet the highest academic standards in K–12.

Her career in education began in Galesburg, Illinois where she taught the severely emotionally disturbed. She then went on to become the Superintendent of the Gadsden Independent School District in Southern New Mexico.

She served as a New Mexico State Senator from 1993 thru 2012, where she spent 16 years as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, appointed by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings.

She holds a BA from Western Illinois University, a MA from Eastern Illinois University and a PhD from New Mexico State University in Educational Leadership/Curriculum.