Dr. Elizabeth Villanueva is a passionate teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, CA where she has taught 9th-12th grade Spanish for 19 years. Dr. Villanueva has worked with the full gamut of skill levels, from the lower-level classes, often with behaviorally challenging students, all the way up to International Baccalaureate (IB) Spanish, Language and Literature, and AP Spanish: Language and Culture. Dr. Villanueva leads an after-school program called New-Age Latinas, which teaches young Latinas strategies for leadership, success, healthy choices, and navigating the world of secondary and post-secondary education. She also leads a support group for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and Undocumented students and families. Dr. Villanueva has received numerous awards including the Sacramento City Unified Teacher of the Year Award (2016-2017); the California Teachers Association Equity and Human Rights Award, and the César Chávez Sí Se Puede Human Rights Award (2018).
