Dr. José S. Villa announced his retirement, and Maria C. Garza succeeded him. Maria, much like Rafael and José before her, grew up in a farmworker family. Her personal experience as a farmworker child and her career in leadership roles supporting the farmworker cause uniquely positioned her to lead ECMHSP into the next decade. Maria’s tenure was marked by numerous achievements, from successfully navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to expanding ECMHSP’s model of Head Start services into Indiana and Oklahoma. The organization also extended its services to agricultural workers in dairy, seafood, and nurseries, while also making a significant contribution to preschool education through the publication of books by Scholastic Education.
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