Gisela Ariza
Gisela Ariza, she/her/hers
Associate Director of School Improvement
Gisela Ariza is responsible with helping to implement high-quality data collection and analysis practices across network school sites that are part of the Network for School Improvement (NSI) initiative. She is also responsible for leading, training and supporting South LA high schools use continuous improvement practices and protocols to increase the number of African-American and Latinx Freshman students who are college-ready on-track.
Prior to joining the LA Promise Fund, she worked at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Leadership Conference Education Fund in Washington D.C., as a Senior Education Policy Analyst, where she supported state partners in the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Her work focused on supporting local coalitions to advocate for strong state education plans that advanced educational equity, including robust parent and community engagement, accountability for the achievement of all students, resource equity and access to user-friendly data. Previous to this role, Ariza worked at the College Board where she advised adult learners about pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities and supported the organization’s efforts around college access for underserved students.
Ariza is originally from San Fernando Valley, California. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University – Northridge and completed her master’s degree in Education and School Counseling from the University of Southern California.
Ariza is also a certified Kundalini Yoga & Meditation teacher. She believes in the transformative power of a college education and that no matter what, all students deserve access to an equitable education.
