Superintendent Monifa McKnight today announced that former Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro is joining the Montgomery County Public Schools leadership team as Senior Advisor for External Affairs in the Office of the Superintendent. 

Navarro served 13 years on County Council, where she represented District 4 and served as Council President multiple times. Navarro is also a former elected member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, where she served as both President and Vice President. 

Navarro’s new role will focus on advancing the priorities of the Board of Education and the school system’s key priorities by fostering positive relationships with external partners, engaging in outreach to community stakeholders and collaborating with our Community of Practice as they recommend essential corrective actions across the system. 

“Nancy brings exceptional skill and a record of policymaking in Montgomery County on issues that we are now confronting,” Dr. McKnight said. “I look forward to working with her to deepen our relationships across the district that will help us instill respect and compassion in the citizens of tomorrow, achieve excellence for all of MCPS students, and provide a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

In addition to her elected positions, President Barack Obama appointed Navarro as a member of the White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. She has received the Maryland Department of Education “Women Who Dare” Leadership Award, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County’s Leadership Award, and the National Center for Children and Families, Humanitarian Spirit Award for Diversity and Equity. In 2021, Navarro was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.