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Gladys Cruz is no stranger to being the first in her position.

She was the first in her family to graduate from high school and the first to go to college. She became the first Latina educator to be appointed Board of Cooperative Educational Services, or BOCES, district superintendent in New York state. And she is now the first Latina who will serve as president in 91制片鈥檚 history when she assumes the post in July.

鈥淚 really think of her as a pioneer obviously setting the stage for others to follow,鈥� says Betty Rosa, commissioner of education in New York state, who is also the first Latina in her role. 鈥淲hen we think about the fabric of what we aspire this nation to be, this is part of the conversation, and giving voice to someone like her is phenomenal.鈥�

Overseeing 30,000 students in 22 districts as superintendent and CEO of the Questar III BOCES in Castleton, N.Y., located 10 miles south of Albany, is a far cry from where Cruz thought she was going to end up after starting on a path to become a dentist.

After each of her first three years of college, the English department chair at her high school in Puerto Rico would visit Cruz鈥檚 home to offer her a job as a teacher. After the third pitch, Cruz finally agreed to an interview and never looked back.

She graduated with a degree in elementary education and English. While completing her master鈥檚 degree in bilingual education, also in Puerto Rico, she saw a flyer promoting a Ph.D. program at SUNY Albany. After spending her youth shuttling between Puerto Rico and New York, Cruz jumped at the chance to 鈥渃omplete that circle.鈥�

Other than a short stint with the New York State Education Department, Cruz has spent the past 25 years with Questar III.

鈥淚鈥檝e had a lot of flexibility to be creative, to create programs,鈥� Cruz says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to really provide leadership in the region to impact students in the broad sense. I really love the whole regional approach and that I get to interact with a lot of folks.鈥�

Some of that creativity has resulted in Cruz being the first Questar III superintendent to open a regional STEM high school on a local college campus. Most recently, she oversaw the renovation of a 35-year-old technical education center.

Staying visible and accessible to the community and her staff is key to bringing them along during a project, Cruz says. She maintains an open-door policy.

鈥淪taff will e-mail me directly. They鈥檒l ask to meet with me directly and I think that I鈥檝e gained their trust,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 try to bring people together so that we all work as a group, and we can be much more efficient and effective. I think there鈥檚 a greater benefit to our students in the region when we鈥檙e all speaking the same language and we鈥檙e all in it together.鈥�

On the national level, Cruz convenes others as co-lead of the 91制片 Aspiring Superintendents Academy庐 for Latino and Latina Leaders. With one cohort completed and another two set to graduate this year, Cruz relishes the opportunity to encourage Latino and Latina superintendent candidates.

鈥淚 am constantly reminding myself that it鈥檚 2022 and we should have many more Latinos and people of color in key leadership roles,鈥� Cruz says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not fearful to put myself out there, and I think it鈥檚 important to have individuals around you who believe in you, who kind of tap you and push you to be confident. 鈥� I鈥檝e had a lot of those people in my life and I鈥檓 very fortunate.鈥�

Juli Valentine is digital content editor at 91制片.