Rachel Ruffalo (she/her) serves as Deputy Director of Strategic Advocacy at EdTrust-West. Rachel’s career in education spans more than twenty-five years of serving as a teacher, new school developer, school leader, strategy consultant, researcher, and advocate. Through these various roles, Rachel has been committed to pursuing equity and social justice through education. As a first-generation college student, Rachel experienced the transformative power of education within her own family.

Rachel began her career as a high school history teacher at her alma mater, Gilroy High School, going on to serve as a founding teacher, school leader, and strategy consultant for Environmental Charter Schools (ECS), an independent charter school network serving primarily Black and Latinx students living in poverty in Los Angeles County. As a school leader, Rachel led ECS’ institutional effectiveness work, including accreditation, charter renewal, program evaluation, and the development of the English Language Development program. Later, as a strategy and development consultant, Rachel contributed to the growth of the network of schools by researching and adapting research-based best practices to develop and improve new schools and programs.

Rachel joined EdTrust in April 2017 and has served as a Senior Practice Associate and Director of Educator Engagement. Rachel has led EdTrust-West’s STEM equity strategy and deepened the organization’s advocacy for multilingual learners. With her team, Rachel has expanded EdTrust-West’s engagement to include the Educator Advisory Council, communities of practice, and collaborations with county offices of education, while continuing to improve and build upon EdTrust-West’s long history of systemic equity reviews and blueprint planning processes with school districts. These engagements with educators have become central to informing the organization’s policy priorities and monitoring the implementation and impact of state policies on educators and students.

Rachel holds a B.A. in history and an M.A. in Education (Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies) from Stanford University, as well as an M.Ed. in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University.

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