Rosa Zamora serves as NewRoot Learning Institute's Chief Executive Officer. In this role, Rosa partners with school districts and education institutions nationwide to deliver NewRoot’s equity-driven professional learning, curriculum, and coaching. Her work centers on social-emotional development and community-building, supporting educators to co-create environments where young people feel safe, valued, and able to thrive.

Under Rosa’s leadership, NewRoot has expanded its reach from a single state to six states and 14 cities across the country. She is deeply committed to cross-sector collaboration as a strategy to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education. A first-generation college graduate, her work is informed by lived experiences and her belief that education is a pathway to economic mobility.

Rosa began her career as a counselor at Lutheran Social Services, where she collaborated with social workers, therapists, and psychiatrists to develop care plans for adolescents experiencing mental health challenges. This work sparked her interest in education-based interventions that address systemic inequities in under-resourced communities.

Her leadership and service include roles with the KIPP Chicago Advisory Board, the Chicago Community Trust’s Latino Giving Circle, Mujeres Latinas en Acción’s Young Professional Advisory Council, and HACE’s Advisory Board.

Rosa is an alumna of YNPN’s Leadership Institute, the Chicago Latino Caucus Leadership Academy, and UChicago’s IGNITE program. She has worked with organizations including the Lumina Foundation, UStrive, Junior Achievement, College Greenlight, Instituto, and the YWCA of Chicago. She was recognized with the Verizon Nueva Latina Estrella Award in 2012.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Illinois, a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Communications from Columbia College Chicago, a Master of Business Administration from National Louis University, and a Social Enterprise Certificate from the University of Illinois at Chicago.