Alicia Espinoza

Alicia Espinoza's primary responsibilities at AIR include providing professional learning, coaching, and capacity building to states, districts, and schools in the implementation of evidence-based practices for school improvement. Espinoza has vast experience working in various capacities with federally funded centers and initiatives such as the Institute of Education Sciences-funded PreK–12 Research on Education Strategies to Advance Recovery and Turnaround (RESTART) Network, the Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory (REL), Region 9 Comprehensive Center, and the Region 1 Equity Assistance Center. 

Espinoza currently serves as the deputy director of the West Comprehensive Center. In her role as deputy director, Espinoza supports state leaders in the identification of high leverage education challenges in their state, and provides capacity building services to plan, implement, and monitor innovative solutions, with the goal of improving outcomes for all students. 

In 2002, Espinoza was awarded the Multicultural Urban Professional Educator Award by DePaul’s School of Education for her successful work with high poverty youth and adults.