David Castillo is the Founder of Castillo Educational Leadership Group and Co-Founder of the South Star Classroom Podcast and Consultancy. David also joined the Pahara and Aspen Institutes Education Fellows in Fall 2017. With extensive experience in the education sector, David served as Executive Director at Oakland Charters, advocating for Oakland's public charter school sector. He was also the Head of School at Urban Montessori Charter School, a nationally-recognized breakthrough model in Oakland, CA. David played a crucial role as the Oakland regional director for the California Charter Schools Association, spearheading citywide advocacy for the charter sector. Additionally, he served as a founding teacher and principal at Oakland Unity High School, a high-performing charter school dedicated to transforming the lives of first-generation college students.

David's contributions to public education extend to his involvement in various charter school and advocacy boards, including Unity Schools, Community School for Creative Education, Oakland Families for Quality Schools, Enroll Oakland Charters, and GO Public Schools. He also co-chaired the Oakland Public Schools Equity Pledge enrollment working group. David brings a diverse background, having previously worked in the private tech sector. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California at San Diego, a single subject teaching credential in social science from San Francisco State, and a Master's in Educational Leadership from Cal State University East Bay.