22nd Annual
Winter Conference
Save the Date!
February 6th - 7th
This annual event provides a venue for Latino and non-Latino educators, business and community leaders to learn about ongoing and emerging educational issues impacting the Latino community. This conference will support the efforts of numerous educators by providing valuable information on a range of innovative strategies for the fastest growing ethnic U.S. segment – Latinos.
The OALA Winter Conference is more than a conference with great speakers, it’s a vehicle to develop, support and mentor the next generation of Oregon educators in a more diverse and challenging learning environment.
Held annually, the OALA Winter Conference offers intensive exploration of the field of innovative instructional and learning strategies for Latino students, best practices for parent involvement, closing of the achievement gap for English language learners, and professional development training for aspiring administrators. Participants can expect a hands-on curriculum which includes presentations by nationally-recognized authors and educational officials.
I am so grateful for this organization overall. It truly leaves me renewed and encouraged. I was able to see the legacy of our communities collective work! It is rare that we are celebrated or acknowledged for our commitment to equity.
- Winter Conference Attendee
Conference Keynote Speakers
Meet Dr. Rosa L. Rivera-McCutchen
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Rosa L. Rivera-McCutchen as one of our keynote speakers at the 2026 OALA Conference.
Dr. Rivera-McCutchen is an educator and scholar with more than 20 years of experience in NYC public schools and higher education. A first-generation college graduate, her research, teaching, and activism focus on advancing racial equity through what she terms Radical Care—a framework she explores in her 2021 book Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools (Teachers College Press). Her work has been published in leading academic journals, and she is widely recognized as a sought-after speaker, facilitator, and professional learning designer across educational contexts.
Dr. Rivera-McCutchen began her career as a high school teacher in the Bronx before earning her PhD in Teaching and Learning from New York University. She is currently a professor of leadership at CUNY Hunter College, with affiliations to the Urban Education PhD Program at the CUNY Graduate Center and the NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools.
We look forward to the insights and inspiration she will bring to the 2026 OALA community.
Meet Elizabeth Acevedo
We are delighted to welcome Elizabeth Acevedo as one of our keynote speakers at the 2026 OALA Conference.
Elizabeth Acevedo was the 2022 Young People’s Poet Laureate and is the New York Times–bestselling author of several acclaimed works for young readers. Her debut novel-in-verse, The Poet X, received numerous prestigious honors, including the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the Carnegie Medal, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and the Walter Award. She is also the author of With the Fire on High—named a best book of the year by the New York Public Library, NPR, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal—and Clap When You Land, a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book and Kirkus Prize finalist.
Acevedo holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion and currently resides in Washington, DC.
We look forward to the power, artistry, and inspiration she will bring to the 2026 OALA community.
OALA would like to congratulate
Distinguished Latino Educator Award for 2025
Rogelio Martínez
Principal
Forest Grove School District
Tom Ruhl Ally Award for 2025
Dr. Dawn Joella Jackson
Director of Student Engagement and Inclusion
Gresham Barlow School District
The Oregon Association of Latino Administrators is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Distinguished Latino/a/x Educational Award (DLEA) and the Tom Ruhl OALA Ally Award.
The DLEA honors a Latino/a/x educator who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and impact in their role. The Tom Ruhl OALA Ally Award recognizes a Latino/a/x or non-Latino/a/x educator who has shown outstanding commitment to equity and cultural competence.
Nominations for both awards are due Saturday, December 13th, using the 2026 Distinguished Latino/a/x Education Award & Tom Ruhl Award form.
Nominees and award recipients will be notified by January 5th, 2026, and honorees will be celebrated at our Winter OALA Conference, themed “Rooted Where We Belong: Madre Tierra, Amor, and the Unbreakable Us,” taking place February 6–7 at Glencoe High School.
Call for Presenters!
The Oregon Association of Latino Administrators is pleased to issue a call for presenters for the 2026 OALA Winter Conference to be held on February 6th and 7th, 2026 at Glencoe High School in Hillsboro School District.
If you are interested in presenting, please complete this Google Form. All proposals must be received no later than December 05, 2025. Presenters will be notified of selection by December 19, 2025.
About the Conference:
This annual event provides a venue for Latino/a/x and non-Latino/a/x educators, business and community leaders to learn about ongoing and emerging educational issues impacting the Latino/a/x community. This conference will support the efforts of numerous educators by providing valuable information on a range of innovative strategies for the fastest growing ethnic U.S. segment—Latinos/as/x.
The theme of this year’s conference is:
“Rooted Where We Belong: Madre Tierra, Amor, and the Unbreakable US”
Conference strands:
Leadership Development: Inspire current and future leaders by sharing transformative approaches.
Promising Instructional Strategies: Student Engagement, Academic Excellence & Assessment.
Equity: Cultural Agility In Our Increasingly Globalized Communities & Politicized Landscapes.
Engaged Communities: Establishing Partnerships With Our Latino Families and Community.
The strength of the proposal, timeliness, and strand alignment are essential elements to being accepted.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Registration:
Discounted registration of $225 will cover TWO presenters per presentation . Any additional presenters will need to register at a regular rate of $375.
High school and under grad students participating as panelists in a presentation will get complementary registrations.
A separate RSVP for Affinity Luncheons must be completed upon completing registration for the conference.
Presentation:
All Presentations will be approximately 90 minutes in duration.
Presenters are responsible for materials and copies of handouts.
Please note on proposal any audio/visual needs.
Proposal evaluation rubric —Use this rubric to self-evaluate your proposal
If you attended a OALA Conference, click below to see photos and headshots.
FAQs
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The 2025 OALA Winter Conference will be held in the Beaverton School District. Exact location will soon be announced.
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You can reach out to Perla for any questions you may have by emailing her at Perla.Rodriguez@oalaboard.org.
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Your district, department or school can join OALA as an Institutional Member, and receive 5 slots to the 2025 Winter Conference!.
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Stay tuned as workshop titles will be listed soon.
