Her Story
About Milagros
Milagros Velez is a Principal with 17 years of experience in the field of education, currently leading a high school in her third year in the role following six years of service as an assistant principal. Recognized throughout her career as a turnaround leader and change agent, she made an unconventional entry into education, having first earned a bachelor's degree in finance before shifting careers through the New York City Teaching Fellows program, which supported her graduate studies in education while she taught in the Bronx. Today, she guides instructional leadership, school operations, and systems designed to build a genuine sense of belonging among students and families.
Under her leadership, her school has posted measurable gains, including an 11.5 percent increase in on-time graduation rates and a reduction of more than 6 percent in the dropout rate, culminating in a graduating class of 335 first-generation students, roughly 70 percent of the total cohort. She holds licensure and certification across multiple states, including administrator and mathematics credentials in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and she is professionally affiliated with the National Association of School Principals and the Association for Latino Administrators and Superintendents. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Velez credits her professional grounding to the example set by her parents, drawing discipline and perseverance from her father and compassion and resilience from her mother. Guided by core values of faith, community, and perseverance, she believes strongly that students rise to meet the expectations set for them and that meaningful cultural change in a school requires a united, collective effort. She is a vocal advocate for the next generation of women leaders in education, urging them to remain authentic, resist imposter syndrome, and open doors for those who follow, even as she continues to navigate a field she describes as constantly shifting to prepare students for a future not yet defined.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Milagros
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to my parents. My father taught me the value of hard work, discipline, and perseverance, while my mother modeled compassion and empathy and showed me what it means to be strong while remaining deeply human.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is that if you're the smartest person in the room, you're probably in the wrong room. Growth requires being willing to feel uncomfortable and to constantly place yourself in rooms where you are learning and being challenged.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage them to be authentically themselves, since their voice, perspective, and lived experience are part of what makes them valuable. I'd tell them not to let imposter syndrome make decisions for them, not to dim their light to make others comfortable, and not to be afraid to break a glass ceiling while holding the door open for the next woman.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The goalpost in education keeps moving, and we are preparing students for jobs that don't exist yet. I see a clear leadership trajectory in our field, moving from teacher to department chair to administrator to principal to director or superintendent.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith, community, and perseverance matter most to me. Faith reminds me there is something bigger than myself, community reminds me that none of us reach our achievements alone, and perseverance keeps me moving forward when things are difficult.
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