Icela Pelayo

Icela Pelayo is a program officer with Racial Equity and Community Engagement at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, working on the foundation’s efforts on racial equity, community engagement, and leadership to support thriving children, working families, and equitable communities. Previously, she served in various roles at the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED), including deputy cabinet secretary for teaching and learning (leading strategic efforts and coordinated policy, program, fiscal management across the department in support of the state’s educators and students), director of operations, and director of bilingual multicultural education (leading the development and implementation of comprehensive state policy that aligned technical assistance, reporting, and monitoring to support bilingual multicultural education and English Learner programs). Pelayo received her PhD in K–12 urban education policy from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.

updated 2025