Jen Maestas started her teaching career 25 years ago with a heart for students that live in communities of persistent poverty. She taught fifth grade for seven years, and then served the urban core of San Antonio as an instructional coach, assistant principal, and campus principal. After 17 years in San Antonio’s largest urban school district, she joined the team at CAST Schools Network as a school design coach, working alongside school principals to build innovative models within independent school district systems. Maestas believes that innovation requires a mindset shift to challenge the way things have always been done, and knows that the CAST Schools Network is doing exactly that.

She currently serves as the deputy director of CAST Schools, and believes that great schools happen when students are given an opportunity to use their voices to shape their educational experience, and school leaders are given the reins to teach with passion and creativity. Maestas holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She’s the co-founder of San Antonio Leaders and Teachers (SALT), and hosts the education podcast “Miss Education.”