A recent transplant to the Upper Valley, Miguel is eager to trade in his city shoes for some muck boots. He is very excited to learn all about what the Upper Valley has to offer, and is seriously considering giving winter sports another try! An avid reader, Miguel is a lover of all things fantasy and science fiction, and has been working on his grand opus of a novel for longer than is probably healthy. As a (returning) convert to distance running, Miguel has participated in several half-marathons, a marathon, and a slew of shorter races, and hopes to one day compete in the holy grail of road races: the TCS New York City Marathon.
Miguel has been working with young changemakers for many years, most recently as a public school teacher in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He is a firm believer that young people have the power to effect truly meaningful change in their communities if they are provided with the tools and knowledge to do so – and that this is only the beginning! Through collaboration, innovation, and student-centered inquiry, Miguel and his former students explored the intersections of government, citizenship, classic and contemporary literature, creative expression, community engagement, and digital literacy. In exploring these disparate but related disciplines, he came to understand just how important it is for young people to play a role in the shaping of their own futures, and just how capable they are in doing so.
Prior to beginning his work in the classroom, Miguel spent several years working with chronically homeless individuals in New York, and developed a deep appreciation for the role that continuing education and lifelong learning can play in understanding and combating addiction, cycles of poverty, incarceration, and housing insecurity. This also helped him to realize that behind every troubled adult is a young person who may have benefited from care, empathy, and a chance to experience success and grow.
Miguel completed his M.A. in Adolescent English Education at Hunter College in New York, and graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Denver, with a B.A. in English Literature. When not running, reading, or writing, he can be found consuming a shocking amount of media content. Curious about a movie or TV show? Just ask him! He's probably seen it, at least once…