Daniel comes from a family of teachers. He is the son of two career teachers and long term MESA advisors, who dedicated their years in education to students and families from underserved communities, and his brother is a high school English teacher in Los Angeles. Daniel has worked in public, charter, and private schools in roles including teacher (high school math and ESL), mentor, lead instructor, program manager, school administrator, and district staff. He was also one of four co-hosts for “aka Teacher,” a PBS Wisconsin Education podcast. Daniel is passionate about the intersection of innovation and equity and applying processes such as Liberatory Design to improve educational systems. Daniel holds a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University.

Daniel also has a background in theater and improv. His two favorite places to be are in a classroom and in a theater rehearsal room. He believes that both are spaces for discovery, learning by doing, reflecting on identity, risk taking, play, storytelling, imagination, and co-creating that which couldn’t have been possible alone. These spaces rely on trust, empathy, and a sense of community. They are spaces that teach us what it means to be human.

Daniel lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife and two children and enjoys rock climbing, camping, photography, theater, and meditation.