Dr. Liya Escalera

Biography

Liya Escalera is a lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education with over 20 years of experience in higher education, dedicated to creating vibrant, inclusive, and equitable learning environments where students can succeed and meaningfully contribute to local and global communities. Her work is grounded in strategic thinking, planning, and implementing effective initiatives that advance access and equity in higher education. Escalera focuses on the design and assessment of asset-based learning environments that value the strengths and diverse ways of knowing of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Prior to her position at HGSE, she spent fifteen years as a senior-level administrator at some of the largest public institutions in Boston, serving as Vice Provost for Student Access, Equity, and Success at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Bunker Hill Community College. Recognized nationally for her leadership in transformational campus-wide initiatives, she received the Massachusetts Commonwealth Citation for Outstanding Performance in 2015. Her current research and writing focus on policies, practices, and pedagogies that align with the epistemologies and cultural wealth of Latinx communities.

Research Interests