Profile for J.C. Wagner-Romero
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J.C. Wagner‑Romero
Pronouns: He/Him/Él
Assistant Professor
Educational Studies
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
J.C. Wagner‑Romero Pronouns: He/Him/Él
Assistant Professor
Educational Studies
Specialty area(s)
Race and ethnic relations
Student-Family identities and Pierson's power of connection
Latinx & undocumented student and family expectations & experiences
Language access and equity
Culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy
International and global education
Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR)
Brief biography
Dr. Jancarlos (J.C.) Wagner-Romero (he/him/él), a native of New Orleans, serves as Assistant Professor of Global and Multicultural Education in the Department of Educational Studies and Graduate Faculty Member in the Department of Graduate and Extended Learning at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse (UWL). Prior to joining the team at UWL, he served as Director of the Division of Adult and Basic Education at Delgado Community College. In 2020, he was elected by the People of New Orleans as District 4 Representative, where he served as Vice President of New Orleans Public Schools until 2022.
Dr. Wagner-Romero is a former public school teacher and leader, having taught 3rd and 4th grade in New Orleans and later having served as an elementary and middle school principal in Thailand (of a British international school) and New Orleans. After serving students and families directly in school settings, Dr. Wagner-Romero was recruited to lead a network of schools as Executive Director of Leadership Development, Chief of Staff, and interim Chief Academic Officer within the New Orleans Public School System.
At UW - La Crosse, Dr. Wagner-Romero teaches courses focused on exploring and cultivating multicultural and global perspectives in education. Rooted in critical pedagogy, his research examines the lived experiences of Latinx, undocumented students and families. As an activist-scholar, Professor Wagner-Romero engages in participatory action research (PAR) intended to enact systemic change in education that drives forth equity for marginalized communities.
Dr. Wagner-Romero serves as president of the Wisconsin chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). In November 2022, he was elected as the Region 4 Director of NAME, overseeing chapters in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Through this role, Dr. Wagner-Romero now serves on the NAME national Board of Directors.
Dr. Wagner-Romero has been recognized for his many contributions to the field of education. In 2013 he was awarded Honorary Secretary of State for his education advocacy work within the Latinx community in Louisiana, and in 2021, he was recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential LGBTQ+ Leaders in America by The Advocate after having become the first open LGBTQ+ person of color elected to a major public office in Louisiana history.
Current courses at UWL
Summer 2025:
EDS-206: Multicultural Education (online)
Spring 2025:
EDS-206: Multicultural Education
EDS-309: Global Perspectives Across the Curriculum
Winter 2025:
EDS-206: Multicultural Education (online)
Fall 2024:
EDS-203: Schools, Society, and Teachers
EDS-206: Multicultural Education
EDS-309: Global Perspectives Across the Curriculum
Education
Doctor of Education, University of Missouri - St. Louis
Master of Education, Northeastern University
Bachelor of Arts, Loyola University New Orleans & Northwestern State University
Associate of General Studies, Delgado Community College
Career
Teaching history
EDS-206: Multicultural Education (UWL)
EDS-309: Global Perspectives Across the Curriculum (UWL)
EDLA-2000: Education in a Diverse Society (Tulane University)
EDLA-2890: Service Learning (Tulane University)
EDUC-510: Educational Philosophies (BSM - M.Ed. Program)
EDUC-520: Curriculum & Instruction Planning & Development (BSM - M.Ed. Program)
EDUC-570: Classroom Dynamics and Behavior Management (BSM - M.Ed. Program)
Professional history
Assistant Professor of Global and Multicultural Education (2022-present) & Graduate Faculty Member (2023-present), University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Lecturer in Education (2021-2022), Tulane University
Adjunct Professor of Teacher Education (2017-2022), Eastern Gateway Community College
Former elementary school teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, executive director of leadership development, chief academic officer, college administrator, and elected school board member (New Orleans and Thailand)
Research and publishing
Recently Funded Grant Projects:
Wagner-Romero, J.C. (Co-Principal Investigator) & McParker, Matthew (Co-Principal Investigator), "Aprendiendo en Ingles: Understanding the Complexities of Classroom Pedagogy for English Learners in Rural Wisconsin" (Funded), UWL Faculty Research Grant, $12,500. (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).
Wagner-Romero, J.C. (Principal Investigator), "Cultivating Global and Multicultural Perspectives as Pre-Service Teachers Through an International Online Collaborative Experience"(Funded), Internal UWL Course Improvement Grant, $2,750. (July 1, 2023 - May 31, 2024).
Wagner-Romero, J.C. (Principal Investigator), Shatara, Hannadi (Co-PI), "Using Primary Sources for Global Learning"(Funded), External Grant, Sponsored by Library of Congress, $24,750. (Period: June 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024).
Wagner-Romero, J.C. (Principal), "Wisconsin NAME Organizational Start Up"(Funded), External Grant, Sponsored by National Association for Multicultural Education, $1,000. (January 11, 2023 - May 30, 2023).
Selected Publications
Wagner-Romero, J., Gillis, M., Canaday, M., Clemens, L., Rowland, A., & Mitchell-Blacksheep, C. (2024, accepted). Empowering Youth Leadership to Engage in Community Heritage. The Journal of Multicultural Affairs.
Wagner-Romero, J. "Foreword." Social Justice Perspectives on English Language Learners, edited by Ashraf Esmail, Abdul Pite, Alice Duhon-Ross, Judith Blakely, and H. Prentice Batiste. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023.
Wagner-Romero, J. "Toward sustainable culturally responsive pedagogies." English Language Learners: The Power of Culturally Relevant Pedagogies, edited by Ashraf Esmail, et al. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023.
Selected Conference Presentations
Wagner-Romero, J. (2023). Beyond Embracing Multiculturalism: Addressing Systemic Issues of Language Access in Public Schools to Advance Equity for English Language Learners. National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, Montgomery, AL.
Harrison-Woods, K., Carlson, J. & Wagner-Romero, J. (2023). Moving Multicultural Education Forward: Revitalizing the Wisconsin Chapter of NAME Toward a More Equitable Tomorrow. National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, Montgomery, AL.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2022). Do You Hear Me? Lifting the Voices of Undocumented Youth Through the Implementation of a Youth Participatory Empowerment Model. Louisiana Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2022). English Learners Zoom through School: Finding Voice and Resilience Amid a Global Pandemic. National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, Virtual due to COVID-19.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2021). Power in Young Voices: The Impact of Immigrant Youth Voice in School and Community Engagement Using a YPEM. Mid-South Sociological Association Conference, Charlotte, NC.
Bledsoe-Gardner, A., Cooper, C., Hunt, A., Nowakowski, A., Pardee, J., & Wagner-Romero, J. (2021). Trauma Informed Practices: Unpacking Interlocking Systems of Power and Inequality in Education Spaces. Mid-South Sociological Association Conference, Charlotte, NC.
Esmail, A. & Romero, J. (2021) Racial and Ethnic (In)Equities: The Haves and Have-nots in Public Education. Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University. New Orleans, LA.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2021). But We’re Preparing Them Aren’t We? Coming Up Short: The National Teacher Shortage and Teacher Preparation Programs. Southern Association of College Admissions Counselors Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2020). Voice, Empowerment, and Social Awareness: Using a Youth Participatory Empowerment Model (YPEM) as a Catalyst for Peace Education for Undocumented, Latinx Youth. National Association for Peace Education Conference, Baton Rouge, LA.
Wagner-Romero, J. (2019). Jovenes Hoy en Día: Increasing Immigrant Youth Participation and Voice in School and Community Using a Youth Participatory Empowerment Model (YPEM). National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, Tucson, AZ.
Blacksheep, C., Canaday, M., Clemens, L., Gillis, M., Hurd, A., Rowland, A., & Wagner-Romero, J. (2018) Youth 3E: Could energized, engaged, and empowered youth heal societal rifts? National Association of Interpretation Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Romero, J. (2018). Learning in the 21st Century: What research says. Moderator of M.Ed. Educational Symposium at Bangkok School of Management, Bangkok, Thailand.
Romero, J. (2017 & 2018). Culturally competent professional learning communities. Presenter for Bangladesh Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand.
Romero, J. (2017). Learning as a way of leading: Building socially just educational communities. Presenter and Session Facilitator at the University of Missouri Wintersession, St. Louis, MO.
Kudos
presented
published
elected
elected