Caritza Mariani, originally from St. Paul, MN, has made it her professional goal to improve education for all students. She is a highly-educated individual, having studied at both the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Augsburg University. With a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Teaching and a Master of Education in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership, Mariani is incredibly knowledgeable in the field of education. Her professional experience is vast, having held positions such as Director of Retention & Academic Advising at Paul Quinn College, Youth Programs Assistant at Saint Paul Public Schools, After School Programs Coordinator at Saint Paul Public Schools, and Youth Work Coordinator at Augsburg College, among others. Even in her free time, Mariani's passion for education shines through as she once served as Artistic Director at the El Arco Iris Center for Arts.