Danielle Zaragoza

Danielle Zaragoza joined ESG in 2024 as an Associate Director supporting the organization’s Postsecondary Attainment portfolio. In this role, she leads the design and execution of projects focused on advancing equitable postsecondary outcomes and workforce alignment. Her work supports ESG’s mission of increasing postsecondary attainment, particularly for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds, by developing policies and practices that enhance student success from high school through higher education and into the workforce.

Prior to joining ESG, Danielle was a member of the Educate Texas policy and advocacy team, where she led the development of policy priorities and managed advocacy strategies to advance the organization’s higher education and workforce policy initiatives. In this role, she worked closely with organizations and stakeholders to influence policy at the state, and institutional levels and supported major advocacy efforts through publications, presentations, and public testimony.

Before her time at Educate Texas, Danielle worked as an Associate at HCM Strategists, where she conducted education policy research, managed client projects, and built relationships with key state leaders and advocacy organizations. Her earlier career includes roles working for members of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate, where she coordinated policy recommendations, tracked legislation, and provided policy analysis on education issues.

Danielle holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Art in Philosophy, with a minor in English, from Texas Tech University.

Why are you in this work?

I believe deeply in the transformational power of education to change lives and uplift communities, as I’ve seen firsthand in my own family. I’m committed to ensuring more people have access to higher education because I view it as essential to individual opportunity and societal progress.

Why ESG?

I’m drawn to ESG because of the clear commitment to advancing equity in education and workforce pathways. The organization’s mission to increase postsecondary attainment, especially for underrepresented groups, aligns with my personal values. ESG’s focus on creating impactful, data-driven solutions that bridge education and economic mobility resonates with my desire to drive systemic change and help more students succeed.