We are proud to announce that Krystal Chavarria has been appointed as the Director for the Covarrubias-Aprendamos Foundation.
Krystal’s professional journey with Aprendamos began in 2006 as a File Clerk during her senior year of high school. Her early experience sparked a desire to work directly with families and children like those she encountered at the Aprendamos office. After high school graduation, she enrolled at New Mexico State University and in 2011, graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and received endorsements in Bilingual Education and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.) In her 20 years with Aprendamos, she has held many unique early intervention positions such as Developmental Instructionist II/Evaluator, Lead Family Service Coordinator/Developmental Specialist, Child Care Liaison, Community Education Coordinator, Evaluator, and Program Director. Krystal also created the Early Intervention Internship Program that included collaborations with NMSU, WNMU, UNM and ENMU for the Family Service Coordinator/Developmental Instruction department and later expanded to other therapy departments.
Throughout her career, she has participated in Leadership and Coalition initiatives through UNM, Doña Ana Early Childhood Coalition, ACT Early Statewide Coalition, and the Gadsden Chapter. She also serves on the board of directors for the Children’s Reading Alliance. Krystal is also a co-author for “CREATE EC,” a Zero to Three Journal article published in June 2023. The CREATE EC (Creating Responsive Educational Avenues for Training Environments in Early Childhood) Leadership Academy aimed to strengthen early childhood goals for culturally responsive workforce development through relational leadership and co-create a community-informed approach that shifts early childhood education to grow educators from statewide rural, indigenous, and Spanish-speaking communities.
Krystal looks forward to using her two decades of expertise serving infants, children, and families to create philanthropic opportunities for youth in Southern New Mexico. “I am honored to be a part of upholding the values and legacy of our family’s foundation, and I am excited to learn and collaborate with the passionate non-profit organizations and individuals who make a difference every day in our community,” she said.
She is also excited to continue collaborations with school districts such as Gadsden Independent School District, Deming Public Schools, and Hatch Valley Public Schools to support youth in the surrounding rural communities and develop mentorship opportunities for students in sectors such as health, education, business, technology, science, math, and engineering. “Our mission is to mentor and empower the youth in providing them with opportunities for success and unleash their potential in becoming the future changemakers in our community,” Krystal shared.
Aprendamos Family of Services CEO and Covarrubias-Aprendamos Foundation President and Founder, Abel Covarrubias, shared, “Krystal’s journey is exactly why Aprendamos exists. To see someone begin as a young student and grow into a leader who will now shape the future of our Foundation is incredibly meaningful. Krystal understands our families because she has grown with them, and I know she will lead with the same heart, compassion, and purpose that define who we are today.”
Thank you, Krystal, for your dedication to youth in our community and your leadership on the Covarrubias-Aprendamos Foundation!