Dr. Emily Calderón Galdeano believes in the power of collaboration (and data) to affect systems change. She currently serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer for UP Partnership where she partners with various sectors in the community to ensure all young people across Bexar County are ready for the future. Previously, Emily served as the Executive Director for the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus and Legislative Director in the Texas Senate. During her tenure as Director of Research for Excelencia in Education and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Emily integrated research, policy, and data to accelerate student success in higher education across the US and Puerto Rico. She has also served as a university faculty and is co-editor of the international award-winning book, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs): Advancing Research and Transformative Practice.

Emily’s leadership and research has been recognized in various spaces. As an alumna of the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship, Allstate Foundation Executive Leadership Program, San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40, Leadership San Antonio, and the Latina Leadership Institute, she believes in the power of giving back. In 2017, Emily co-founded Fiesta Wishes, a nonprofit that celebrates birthday fiestas for children in foster and homeless care to inspire hope, create memories, and bring smiles. She serves on the boards of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Red Cross: Greater San Antonio, and Chair for the City of Castle Hills Economic Development Committee. Emily and her husband, Dr. Daniel Galdeano, love barbecuing, traveling, and having living room dance parties with their daughters, Jacqueline and Natalia, as much as possible.