John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas
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John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas

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Dr. John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas is a nationally recognized DEI strategist, war survivor from Guatemala, and systems-level architect of equity across education, philanthropy, and government. With over two decades of experience designing, supporting, and evaluating programs across the U.S. and Latin America, he has led transformative efforts to embed justice and belonging into multimillion-dollar systems and institutions. His public service includes appointments as State Director of Equity and Civil Rights at the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, four terms as Iowa Latino Affairs Commissioner, and leadership of the Iowa Division of Latino Affairs. He also served as Executive Director of the Latino Community Fund and as Public Policy Lead and Product Development Manager at the Northwest Area Foundation, overseeing an eight-state portfolio focused on equity, asset-building, and rural Latinx youth and families. Dr. Chaisson-Cardenas was a national executive fellow at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (a Smithsonian affiliate), where his research focused on resistance and backlash to institutional DEI efforts. His academic leadership includes appointments at the University of Iowa as National Training and Technical Assistance Director at the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice, Executive Director of the Institute for the Support of Latino/a Families and Communities, and Director of the Disproportionate Minority Confinement/Contact Research Center. In a historic tenure as Iowa’s 4-H State Leader and Director—the first statewide Latino leader in the organization’s 124-year history—he championed inclusive policies welcoming LGBTQIA+ youth. During the Trump administration, he stood firm against federal pressure to rescind Iowa 4-H’s affirming policy, refusing to compromise on equity despite death threats and political backlash. His dismissal from Iowa State University’s Extension and Outreach sparked national support from legislators, educators, and youth leaders who praised his integrity and courage. Dr. Chaisson-Cardenas holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy and an MSW from the University of Iowa. His journey began in Kansas meatpacking plants, where he organized alongside immigrant and refugee workers—planting the seeds of a lifelong commitment to justice, belonging, and systemic change.
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