Luis Enrique García de Brigard, Ed.M.’07, Sworn In as Deputy Secretary of Education in Colombia

Appointment recognizes leadership of the International Education Policy Program graduate.

Posted September 17, 2014
By Jill Anderson

Luis Enrique García de Brigard, Ed.M.’07, was sworn in yesterday as deputy secretary of education in Colombia.

The International Education Policy Program graduate has a rich history of working in entrepreneurial leadership roles that promote international educational experiences.

“Luis Enrique García is a leader of educational innovation. He has built a number of educational organizations focused on advancing global education and in improving the quality of education in public schools in Colombia. His appointment as deputy secretary of education in Colombia is recognition of his many leadership qualities,” said Professor Fernando Reimers, Ed.M.’84, Ed.D.’88, director of the International Education Policy Program. “I admire his commitment to serve public education so that all students in Colombia have the opportunity to develop the skills that will enable them to become architects of their own lives.”

Prior to this appointment, García founded many companies, including Envoys, an organization that provides innovative global learning experiences; Off Bound Adventures; and Appian Education Adventures. An advocate of using education as a key tool in creating change and social justice, he also founded two nonprofit organizations: Volunteers Colombia and Teach For Colombia (a partner of Teach For America), which have led a movement in Colombia to bring excellent teachers to underprivileged communities.

Garcia is also a board member at Gimnasio la Montaña (an independent school in Bogotá) and SOS Children’s Villages, and the executive committee of Empresarios por la Educación.

Garcia earned a law degree from Universidad Javeriana, in Bogotá, Colombia. While at law school, he completed a three-year exchange program in politics and economics at the University of Notre Dame. He received his Ed.M. from the IEP program at HGSE in 2007.

The International Education Policy Program has educated about 1,000 global education leaders who are dedicated to advancing educational opportunity around the world. Graduates of the program include leaders in education ministries, international development organizations, government institutions, universities, and non-governmental organizations committed to advancing educational opportunity around the world.