Isolda Ortega-Bustamante

Isolda Ortega-Bustamante is the Director of Development for the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton, MA.  She was the Director of State and Federal Programs for the Holyoke Public Schools for four and a half years; overseeing all state, federal, and private grants while expanding the District’s partnerships with area higher education institutions and non-profits for additional opportunities for students and teachers. Previously she served as the Executive Director of Engaging Latino Communities for Education, a collaboration of Holyoke Community College (HCC), the City of Holyoke, and the Holyoke Public Schools dedicated to expanding college preparation and access for Holyoke students. She also worked in Resource Development at HCC and served on the President’s Cabinet.  As the Director of The Community Education Project, a provider of Adult Basic Education in Holyoke, Ms. Ortega-Bustamante expanded partnerships and programming with a dedicated team of adult educators. Before moving to the Pioneer Valley in 1999, Isolda worked as a policy researcher at the Graduate School and University Center of CUNY, where she led national research projects and co-authored articles on urban issues.