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'An honor and a nice surprise': APS board president wins prestigious national award
APS board President Danielle Gonzales talks to Superintendent Gabriella Blakey and fellow board members April 2024 at the district’s headquarters. Gonzales was awarded the 2025 Medallion of Excellence for a Distinguished Alumnus from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
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Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education President Danielle Gonzales received the Medallion of Excellence for a Distinguished Alumnus from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute last week.
“It’s really exciting and an honor and a nice surprise,” Gonzales said in a Friday interview. “I think most importantly, just validating of all the work that I’ve done over my career in education, but on behalf of Hispanic students in particular.”
The honor “recognizes a CHCI (Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute) alumnus who has made an outstanding contribution to the Latino Community and who has thereby achieved distinction,” according to the institute’s website.
“I am incredibly, incredibly proud to be a daughter of Albuquerque and a product of APS, and I feel I’ve always been called to serve my community,” Gonzales said.
As APS board president, Gonzales leads the governing body for the largest district in a state with the highest Hispanic population percentage-wise in the country. Nearly 67% of district students are Hispanic, according to the APS enrollment dashboard.
Before her 2021 election to the APS board, Gonzales worked on education policy across the country. She is an alumna of Valley High School, received her undergraduate degree from George Washington University and graduate degree from Notre Dame.
“We’re proud of Board President Gonzales for this achievement and for her commitment to improving educational outcomes for all our students,” APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey said in a statement. “Female Hispanic leaders in education are few and far between. We’re excited to have our board president honored with this important award.”
