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Press kit
Bios, photography, marks, facts, and approved quotes — everything for a deadline, on one page. Coverage lives on the Press page.
Fast facts
Name
Dr. Ángel L. Vélez — pronounced Ah-n-hell Veh-lez · he/him
Title
Vice President, Chicago Board of Education · District 9A · elected Vice President April 2026
Also
Member, Chicago Reparations Task Force · Lead Inclusion Consultant & Business People Partner, Cisco · Co-Founder & President, Velez Advisory Partners
Education
Ph.D., Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · M.A. and B.A., Northeastern Illinois University · A.A., Wilbur Wright College · MBA studies, Gies College of Business
Home
Born in Yauco, Puerto Rico · lives in West Englewood, Chicago, with his wife and son, who attends a Chicago public school
Bios
Use verbatim; no approval needed.
One line
Dr. Angel L. Velez is Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education — a scholar-practitioner translating research, lived experience, and public leadership into decisions that expand opportunity.
Short — programs & captions
Dr. Angel L. Velez Rodriguez is a strategic leader, organizational advisor, and board executive with more than 15 years of experience across corporate, public-sector, nonprofit, and higher education environments. He serves as a Lead Inclusion Consultant & Business People Partner at Cisco and as Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education, providing governance oversight for the nation’s fourth-largest public school district. A first-generation college graduate, he earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Full — introductions
Dr. Angel L. Velez Rodriguez is a strategic leader, organizational advisor, and board executive with more than 15 years of experience driving workforce strategy, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and inclusive culture initiatives across corporate, public-sector, nonprofit, and higher education environments. He is recognized for helping organizations build high-performing teams, navigate complex challenges, and create cultures where people and business outcomes thrive.
Dr. Angel currently serves as a Lead Inclusion Consultant & Business People Partner at Cisco, where he advises leaders on enterprise-wide initiatives related to leadership effectiveness, workforce development, organizational culture, and employee experience. His work spans global consulting, strategic planning, leadership capability building, and the development of scalable frameworks that support organizational transformation. He is also leading innovative efforts at the intersection of artificial intelligence and leadership, including the development of Horizon: Inclusive Leadership for the AI Era and an AI-powered toolkit designed to help people leaders embed inclusive practices into everyday decision-making.
In addition to his corporate leadership, Dr. Angel serves as Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education, providing governance oversight for the nation’s fourth-largest public school district. In this role, he helps guide policy, strategy, and fiscal stewardship for a system serving more than 325,000 students and managing an annual budget exceeding $10 billion.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Angel earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, and started MBA studies through the Gies College of Business. His leadership is grounded in a commitment to developing people, strengthening institutions, and creating opportunities for communities to thrive.
Photography
Credit: courtesy of Dr. Angel L. Velez.
Headshot · studio
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Portrait · studio, hat
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Portrait · navy
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At the podium
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Press conference · wide
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Marks
The AV monogram. Do not recolor, stretch, or add effects.
Navy · light backgrounds
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White · dark backgrounds
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Approved quotes
“If we unite, we can ask for more funding. If we stay divided, not a lot is going to get done.”
Chalkbeat, April 2026
“If the state ultimately forces us to truly consider reducing our workforce, let it be after every other option has been exhausted and our constituents have seen us try to prevent it.”
Chicago Tribune, July 2026
“I take pride in being a first-generation college graduate, which fuels my drive to address the many disparities that prohibit equitable access to quality education.”
Cisco, October 2023
Style notes
First reference
Dr. Angel L. Velez, Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education. With accents where your style permits: Ángel L. Vélez.
Second reference
Velez, or Dr. Velez. Not “Angel.”
Identity
Afro-Puerto Rican / Afro-Latino · first-generation college graduate · he/him.
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Media inquiries
On deadline? Interviews, background, and comment.
Contact details
Board-related requests go through the Chicago Board of Education office.