Our People
Our Team
The TASL Difference:
We understand because we’ve been there.
We are family and community engagement professionals with decades of experience.
We are also bilingual moms with kids in the public school system.
Our lived experience and unique insight is what makes our team effective.
Meet the TASL Team.
Danitza Verdugo Aguiar
Co-Founder and CEO + Programs and Community Impact Leader
Danitza Verdugo Aguiar is a bilingual, bicultural community leader, educator, and creative with over twenty years of experience advancing education, health, and community engagement through both large-scale initiatives and deeply community-centered work. Her career spans public institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community-based initiatives, beginning as a government account executive with HSBC and later dedicating thirteen years to e-Promotora Program, where she led curriculum development, facilitator training, and programs that reached more than 1,000 caregivers, educators, and community members across Central Texas. [read more]
She also served as Districtwide Community Engagement Coordinator for Austin Independent School District, supporting over 73,000 students by designing culturally responsive family engagement strategies, leading large-scale community initiatives, expanding access to learning opportunities, and helping bridge the digital divide for adult learners. Her work included managing complex projects such as graduation ceremonies across multiple programs and campuses, always centered on access, inclusion, and meaningful community impact.
In addition to her work in education, Danitza brings a creative and wellness-centered approach to leadership as a licensed instructor with Zumba Fitness for over fourteen years, fostering inclusive spaces that promote well-being and connection. She also contributes expertise in bilingual communication, translation, storytelling, and media production, including collaborations with organizations such as Johnson & Johnson. At TASL, she leads work grounded in dignity, cultural relevance, and the belief that education strengthens individuals and communities, creating lasting impact.
Gloria Vera-Bedolla
Co-Founder + Business Development Leader
Gloria Vera-Bedolla is an equity-driven, bicultural consultant with over 20 years of experience designing high-impact strategies that improve academic outcomes and strengthen family engagement across school systems and communities.
She has secured more than $1.2 million in funding, expanded initiatives across 116 campuses, and built capacity for teams of 80+ educators. Her work consistently translates into stronger attendance, engagement, and student success. [read more]
Gloria is a trusted connector with strong relationships across districts including Austin Independent School District, Dallas Independent School District, and Alief Independent School District. She partners with organizations such as Dream Together 2030, HABLA Austin, El Buen Samaritano, and the Central Texas Food Bank to align resources and remove barriers that impact student success.
She understands that student outcomes are shaped beyond the classroom, connecting families to critical supports like food access, community resources, and opportunity pathways because hungry children cannot learn.
Gloria doesn’t work in silos, she builds ecosystems that get results.
Joy Diaz
Co-Founder + Marketing and Communications Leader
Joy Diaz is an award-winning journalist, radio producer, educator, public speaker, community engager, and bilingual storyteller with a deep love for people and community. She grew up in Mexico City and moved to Texas in 2005. Diaz has a degree in Journalism from Universidad de Cuautitlán Izcalli in Mexico City, and a degree in Education from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. She has reported for Austin’s NPR station, KUT and for the radio magazine the Texas Standard where she covered stories about education, healthcare, immigration, and politics. She was recognized with Texas AP Broadcasters Awards and Edward R. Murrow Awards among others.
Diaz is a visionary who loves the role politics plays, even at the local level, in our interconnected world.
Siglinda Bogner
Co-Founder + Operations and Administration Leader
Siglinda Bogner is a bilingual family and community engagement leader, educational consultant, and human-centered strategist with more than 14 years of experience strengthening connections between families, schools, and communities. Her experience includes collaboration with family engagement initiatives within Austin Independent School District and other community-based organizations, supporting strategies that expand access to educational opportunities and strengthen relationships between schools and families. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a master’s degree in Educational Administration, and certification in the Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support through the National Family Support Network [read more…]
Throughout her career, she has designed and facilitated educational workshops, family leadership programs, and culturally responsive engagement strategies that have impacted thousands of families across diverse communities. Her work includes the creation and facilitation of learning experiences for families, communities, educators, students, and school leaders, as well as training teachers on family engagement strategies that strengthen family-school partnerships and support student academic success. She also brings extensive experience in the creation, leadership, and coordination of educational events and community-centered experiences focused on increasing engagement, connection, and access to learning opportunities.
As an immigrant and mother, Siglinda brings a deeply human and compassionate perspective to everything she creates. She strongly believes that families should not simply be invited into educational spaces, but recognized as essential partners in transforming schools and communities. As cofounder of TASL, she is passionate about helping organizations, schools, and communities create meaningful, relationship-centered experiences that inspire growth, leadership, and lasting impact.
Together, we’re working to bridge the gap between educational systems and families.
Click to learn more about our innovative, field-tested programs.