Elaine Utin

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Elaine Townsend Utin, a proud Peruvian-American, is the co-founder and executive director of LatinxEd. In this non-profit capacity, Elaine leads state-wide efforts to invest in Latine leaders and learners to advance educational equity and opportunity in North Carolina. Elaine's dedication to advocating for the Latinx community, particularly those facing financial and geographical limitations, stems from her upbringing in the rural U.S. South as a 1.75-generation immigrant and first-generation college student. In addition to her role as director, Elaine is an award-winning educator specializing in conscious leadership development, coaching, and positive racial-ethnic identity development. Her notable contributions to the field of education led to her recognition on Forbes's 30 Under 30: Education list, a testament to her efforts in creating pathways for future generations of Latinx leaders. As for her educational background, Elaine earned her B.A. in Middle Grades Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a first-generation college student and a Gates Millennium Scholar. She then worked in South Korea as an elementary teacher via a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award. She received her Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she studied Technology, Innovation, and Education and was awarded the 2016 HGSE Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award. Elaine is also a long-standing Hermana of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. While raised in Waxhaw, NC, she currently resides in Durham, NC and enjoys spending time with her wonderful husband and child. Some fun facts about Elaine are that she is the oldest of six kids and her favorite food has been ceviche since she was 5 years old.