Keyla Santisteban
Keyla Santisteban is a passionate educator, instructional coach, and curriculum developer dedicated to creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments where all students can thrive. Based in Los Angeles, she brings a strong background in bilingual education and culturally responsive teaching, designing meaningful learning experiences that connect students to language, identity, and community. Her work emphasizes differentiation, project-based learning, and the integration of educational technology to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.
Over the course of her career, Keyla has worked across a wide range of educational settings, from middle and high school classrooms to specialized roles supporting neurodivergent learners, including students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences. She has led curriculum development initiatives, directed language programs, and provided one-on-one education therapy using evidence-based, multisensory approaches. Her international experience includes supporting teacher training and classroom instruction in Uganda, where she collaborated with educators in resource-constrained environments, further shaping her commitment to equity and global learning.
Beyond her classroom impact, Keyla is deeply committed to mentorship, professional development, and educational leadership. She has designed and facilitated training programs for teachers, instructional leaders, and community partners, equipping them with data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes and close learning gaps. A graduate of University of Southern California with a Master’s degree in Education, she continues to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and disability rights in education. Through her work, she strives to empower both students and educators, ensuring that every learner has access to equitable, high-quality opportunities for success.
• Bilingual Certification
• Special Education Certification
• Teacher professional development - Imagination Day 2025
• School AI Certified Educator L1
• Answering The Call Participant
• Corepower Yoga 50hr Yoga Sculpt Training and 200hr Yoga Teacher Training
• Mental Health First Aid
• Pediatric Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Adult Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Corepower Yoga University
• University of Southern California- M.A.
• University of California, Davis- B.A.
• UCLA Center X
• Certificate of Recognition in Honor of Exceptional Commitment to Middle and High School Students
• LA's Best Outstanding Alumni Award 2023
• Community Service Awards
• Deans' Honor List, Winter Quarter 2012
• Ruth E. Anderson Scholarship
• USC Alumni Association
• Big Citizen Hub
• City Year
• Institute For Teachers Of Color Committed To Racial Justice
• Teaching English in Uganda (2023)
• Hispanas Organized for Political Equality
• University of California, Davis
• Inspiring Teachers
What do you attribute your success to?
I have to give credit to my mother. She came to this country for new opportunities, and she is just a go-getter. It was never a question of 'no, we can't do this' - it was always a question of 'how can we make this happen?' That's something that inspires me every day. Her attitude of finding a way rather than accepting limitations has shaped how I approach challenges in my own career and life.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received, and something I'm still learning myself to this day, is that we are constantly learning and constantly changing, and it's okay to become a newer version of yourself. I was a public school educator for 12 plus years, and I wanted to make it work and make it work, but I realized I just needed a different environment. I needed to continue learning who I am and find myself, letting me ground myself. As human beings, we like to explore and we're curious, and we shouldn't stay in the same position for a long time, because I think that's where a lot of people start hating their jobs. I want to be excited and want to come to work.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
In a world of such uncertainty, and I think all of us are a little afraid right now, I think it's important to take that leap of faith. At the end of the day, all of these experiences lead us somewhere, even if that was not the experience that we wanted. I actually wanted to go to law school, and when I was taking my LSAT, the person next to me started hyperventilating, and I just got up and walked out. I'm like, I don't want to be that person, and it's been the best decision of my life. As much as I wanted to be a lawyer, I realized I don't want to be stressed or feel like that's going to be me. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. So take that leap of faith, even if it's scary.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There's a little bit of both challenges and opportunities right now. The challenge is that we're getting a lot of new students, and a lot of parents are asking how they can enroll their kids in services, but now we have a waitlist. So it's kind of a good and bad thing. But the opportunity is that people are so open-minded now with different disabilities. I work with a lot of kids with different disabilities, and a lot of parents are more open-minded. I think the pandemic kind of helped us understand mental health a little bit better. We have parents who tell me 'I think I was dyslexic' or parents with kids who have autism saying 'I always wondered why I wanted to be an aerospace engineer, and now I know.' It's been really fulfilling to see some of the parents come around and get diagnosed themselves, even though they're older. It's nice to see that the world is changing in that regard.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Collaboration is extremely important to me. I love to learn from everyone. I work in a very group-oriented environment, so all of us feed each other ideas, and we all borrow and execute those ideas, and sometimes they don't work, but that's the value of collaboration. I also value being able to try new things - putting yourself out there and trying new things, and figuring out if I like them or not. That's where the whole improv thing came from, because I'm actually a very shy person sometimes, and I need to step out of my comfort zone. I have to do it so I can show my kids that if I'm able to do it, they can do it as well.