Brian Herrera is the Community Engagement Manager at the Latino Policy Forum. His work focuses on ensuring equitable educational opportunities for Latinos and English learners, with a goal of enhancing college readiness and improving college completion rates in Illinois. He achieves this by convening community members, key school districts, and stakeholders, primarily through bilingual workshops, community presentations, and panel discussions that support Latino families and students from early childhood through college.
In addition to his policy work, Brian leads bilingual family engagement workshops focused on early childhood development, mental health, middle school college readiness, and high school college navigation. These workshops are designed to empower parents and caregivers with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to support their children’s educational journey and well-being from birth to college.
Brian is a highly accomplished community leader and experienced speaker, with a proven track record of working across diverse academic, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds. Brian has presented at numerous conferences across the state and has been featured on Univision, The Herald News, The Chicago Tribune, and The Patch for inspiring and promoting college access.
His deep commitment to this work is rooted in his own experience as a first-generation, low-income student and parent. Brian earned his bachelor’s degree from National Louis University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Northern Illinois University. He believes in servant leadership and is dedicated to uplifting families and redefining success together.
Brian’s favorite quote is “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” – Cesar Chavez.
Contact Brian via email at bherrera@latinopolicyforum.org