Pronouns: he/him/él

Roots: El Salvador

Job Title: Coordinator of District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Persists

Durham, NC

Elmer Orellana

Coordinator of District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Persists

Elmer Orellana is a hope dealer, bridge builder and healing agent, serving as the Coordinator in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Persists. He was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and raised in Richmond, VA. Elmer is a 1.5 immigrant and proud First-Generation college graduate, earning his B.S. in Community Health from George Mason University. He obtained his M.Ed. in Counselor Education emphasis in Student Affairs from Clemson University, where he previously served as the Graduate Assistant for Student Leadership & Community Engagement in the Center for Student Leadership & Engagement. Elmer is passionate about the retention and engagement initiatives for first-generation college students, identity, and leadership development for racially minoritized students, and pedagogical practice for critical-consciousness and social justice. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, running, working out, listening to new music and fellowshipping with family and friends. He loves to talk about coalition building, solidarity, and liberatory & critical race theory praxis in education.