LeAnne Salazar Montoya, Ph.D., (Educational Policy and Leadership) was interviewed for and featured in the article, "Shining with radiance: Uplifting Latinas leading in education," which traces her journey from rural New Mexico (a minority-majority state) to roles as teacher, superintendent, and now assistant professor at UNLV. It emphasizes how her background as a first-generation Latina shaped her awareness of institutional barriers and the importance of bridging research and practice.

One of the central motifs is “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Salazar Montoya discusses how lacking generational knowledge or social capital in academia (e.g. knowing negotiations or standard practices) put her — and many Latinas — in a position of disadvantage.

She points out that only ~2% of Latinas in the U.S. hold doctorates, which underscores underrepresentation in higher education and leadership.