NMPED – Black Education Act

Kimberly currently oversees the Black Education Bureau for the New Mexico Public Education Department. She is a doctoral candidate at Grand Canyon University, completing a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Organizational Psychology. Her dissertation focuses on perceived organizational support and occupational burnout. She is an Independent Licensed Clinical Social Worker (mental health therapist) with over 25 years of blended experience in organizational leadership, youth development, training facilitation, and racial and social justice. She excels in education and community-based development, strategic planning, and systemic transformation. Her clinical competencies include resiliency-based mental health assessments, treatment planning, and conducting individual and group therapy with children, youth, and families.

As a servant leader, Kimberly has a proven record of commitment to service. She was appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to the New Mexico Racial Justice Council and elected as the Diversity Coordinator of Las Cruces Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She previously held additional community leadership roles as the 2nd Vice President of Dona Ana County NAACP (Education Chair) and a member of the Executive Committee of the State of New Mexico Office of African American Affairs. She has provided consulting services to many organizations including Las Cruces Public Schools, United Way of Southwest New Mexico, Ngage New Mexico, La Casa, and more.

Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Capital University. She earned a Masters of Social Administration and a Masters of Nonprofit Organizations (specialization in Nonprofit Management) from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Additionally, Kimberly is an alum of the Treu – Mart Resiliency and Youth Development Fellowship at CWRU’s Mandel Center for Non-Profit Organizations. Her international experience includes organizational and youth development in Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Kimberly holds Independent Clinical Social Work license (with Supervision designation), Non-Profit Management Certification, Advanced Mediation Certification, and No Bullies, No Victims trainer. She is a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner, National trainer of Nurturing Parenting, and Circle of Security. She is most proud to be a National Resiliency Trainer and has completed National Character Education Training by the Josephson Institute on Ethics. She is a member of the Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society and the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society for Adult Learners.

In May 2023 Kimberly was inducted into the Alpha Chi National Honor Society which recognizes top scholars for their academic achievements.

Dr. Candice Castillo currently serves as the deputy secretary of Identity, Equity, and Transformation for the New Mexico Public Education Department, where her work focuses on leading the necessary support education agencies across the state need to provide students to reach their maximum potential by removing barriers and creating opportunities to enhance their educational, social, personal, and post K-12 growth. She has statewide oversight of federal funding programs; safe and healthy schools; language and culture; the Black and Hispanic Education Acts; and student, school, and family support.

Prior to her current position, she was the executive officer of Student Support Services in the Houston Independent School District, the eighth largest district in the country, where she was responsible for districtwide oversight and strategic leadership of student support services, including Wraparound Services, Afterschool, Counseling and Socio-Emotional Learning, Student Assistance, Health and Medical Services, and Athletics and UIL programming. In addition, she led the district’s COVID-19 response, which received accolades from the U.S. Secretary of Education. During her last year with Houston ISD, she launched their telehealth services initiative in 77 schools to address students’ physical and mental health needs. Before joining Houston ISD, Dr. Castillo spent nearly two decades in the corporate world, where she worked in various industries and roles, including corporate communications for a leading global financial institution. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in global management, and a doctorate in education in ethical leadership degree.