Imelda Medrano, Ed.D. Faculty in College of Education
Dr. Imelda Medrano is a distinguished educational leader and scholar-practitioner with more than 25 years of experience spanning early childhood, K–12, and higher education. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston, where she graduated summa cum laude, and has dedicated her career to advancing equitable, research-driven educational systems that improve outcomes for children and communities.
Dr. Medrano’s leadership in Early Childhood Education is both extensive and transformational. As Early Childhood Program Director for Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas, she led the comprehensive operations of 14 Head Start centers serving children from birth to age five. Overseeing an annual budget exceeding $12 million and supervising more than 200 employees, she ensured full compliance with federal Head Start Performance Standards and state regulations while implementing developmentally appropriate curricula grounded in research-based best practices. Her work emphasized family engagement, parent self-efficacy, and systemic program evaluation—core components of high-quality early childhood systems. She also represented the agency at local, regional, and national forums, promoting innovation and continuous improvement in early learning environments.
In addition to her early childhood leadership, Dr. Medrano has served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Lamar University, where she taught graduate-level courses in leadership and school–community relations. In this role, she mentored aspiring administrators and guided graduate students in developing research proposals and action research projects. Her approach integrates theory, methodology, and practice, equipping emerging scholars with the tools necessary for rigorous inquiry and impactful scholarship.
Throughout her career as a principal and district leader, Dr. Medrano has demonstrated a consistent commitment to mentorship, organizational change, and equity-centered leadership. As the founding principal of Seven Lakes Junior High in Katy ISD, she established the vision, systems, and culture for a high-performing campus recognized at the state and regional levels. Across multiple leadership roles, she cultivated collaborative professional learning communities, strengthened instructional frameworks, and mentored numerous assistant principals and instructional leaders who have advanced into executive positions.
Dr. Medrano’s scholarly interests include early childhood systems leadership, educational leadership development, equity in educational administration, culturally responsive pedagogy, and organizational transformation. She brings strong expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and is deeply committed to guiding doctoral candidates through the dissertation process with intellectual rigor, ethical integrity, and sustained mentorship.
As an applicant for Dissertation Chairperson at Sarasota University with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education using the Montessori Learning Approach, Dr. Medrano offers a unique blend of executive-level early childhood leadership, K–12 administrative excellence, and graduate-level teaching experience. Her career reflects a steadfast dedication to cultivating scholar-leaders who are prepared to transform educational systems through evidence-based research and compassionate, visionary leadership.