White House Author

Nancy M. Cubano is a native of Puerto Rico. She was born in Arecibo but grew up in the small town of Utuado where she lived with her family. She is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico and Shippensburg University. Nancy is a founding member of the KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy faculty, and now serves as the Foreign Language Department Leader and Spanish II, III and AP teacher. Prior to coming to KIPP Philadelphia, Nancy taught for 13 years as a Spanish teacher in Harrisburg where she taught elementary school students and Gettysburg where she became passionate about her community and her teaching. She volunteered as an English tutor and advocated for the Gettysburg area's migrant-workers. After a few years she moved to Philadelphia where she gain experience teaching elementary, middle and high school. Nancy has always looked for a way to serve her community by working at bilingual schools or where her community needs the help. In 2002 she became a master teacher and started to support the development of future teachers through “Education 202” at the Community College of Philadelphia. In 2005 she became an Educational Advisor to the National Youth Leaders State Conference (NYLSC) in Pennsylvania. Being the most senior teacher at KDCA, and this year she has gone above and beyond to mentor the school's only first year teacher. An invaluable member of the school, Nancy builds relationships with students and helps strengthen the culture at the school. Her experience as an educator supports students' preparedness to be world leaders. Her goal is to see her Chavez Advisory Students make it "to and through college," by preparing them with the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits that are necessary for success in high school, college, and the competitive world beyond. In pursuing this goal, Nancy aims to serve her community by educating students who will make a difference in the community and the world. She is a wife and the mother of a 10 year old. And last but not least, is currently working on writing a bilingual children’s book about her childhood in the small town of Utuado in honor of her father Pedro F. Cubano.