Dr. Reina Cruz is an assistant principal and educational leader at Northfield High School, an International Baccalaureate World School in Denver, Colorado. Her work focuses on expanding educational opportunities, strengthening assessment systems, elevating student voice, and helping students recognize their capacity to shape their schools and communities.
Throughout her career, Cruz has been a dedicated advocate for authentic student participation in educational decision-making. Her leadership has helped create opportunities for students to contribute to schoolwide processes, including staff interviews, program development, and conversations about school policy and culture. Her commitment to this work also shaped her doctoral research, which examined student representation on school boards and the conditions necessary to move from symbolic inclusion toward meaningful shared power.
In her current administrative role, Cruz oversees assessments, including PSAT, SAT, CMAS, ACCESS, AP, and International Baccalaureate assessments. She also is the IB Coordinator for Northfield’s “IB for All” model and works with teachers, students, and families to increase access to rigorous academic opportunities. Her approach to leadership begins with listening, learning, and using data to identify both areas of success and opportunities for growth.
Before becoming an administrator, Cruz taught social sciences in Colorado, Kansas, and Nevada. Her courses included World History, U.S. History, Government, Psychology, AP Psychology, AP Government, and International Baccalaureate Psychology. She also engaged students in programs such as We the People and Project Citizen, providing young people with opportunities to develop their voices and participate actively in civic life.
Cruz is known for building strong relationships with students and creating learning environments where they feel safe taking intellectual risks. She is particularly passionate about supporting first-generation college students and helping young people envision possibilities they may not have previously considered. As a first-generation college graduate herself, she understands the importance of mentorship, representation, and celebrating students’ accomplishments.
Cruz earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Kansas State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Denver.
Press release: Amplifying Student Voice Garners $25,000 Milken Educator Award for Denver Teacher Reina Cruz
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