Dr. Rangel is the Assistant Dean for Rice University’s Glasscock School. She is spearheading ideas and concepts that further support the strategic goal of the university’s EC-12 educational outreach programs and mission, specifically providing leadership and strategy for the Rice University Center for Education. As part of the Rice Center for Education, Brenda directs the creation of new programs or enhancement of existing offerings related to the Center for College Readiness (C.C.R.), School Literacy and Culture (S.L.C.), Summer Pre-College, and Education department programs. Additionally, she serves as one of the primary Rice representatives for external EC-12 partners and the co-lead G.S.C.S. contact person for potential funding opportunities.

Before joining Rice University, she had 25 years of experience in public school systems. Her experience includes serving as Chief Academic Officer of a rapidly expanding, award-winning public charter school system; Houston I.S.D. area director; performance and continuous improvement manager, principal; dean of academics, dean of students, bilingual teacher; and middle and high school principal.

Brenda is engaged in the Houston community by mentoring emerging leaders through a group she founded, the Latina Leaders Learning Group, where women focus on leadership empowerment and culturally relevant literature and resources. In addition, she volunteers with the Texas Council of Women School Executives, Educator Advisory Council in partnership with Ed Trust, Power on Heels Fund- scholarship committee, Texas MS Foundation, and Mariachi Festival Foundation. She is a former board member of the Association of Hispanic School Administrators and the Y.M.C.A. Houston.

Dr. Rangel was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, TX. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Sam Houston State University, a Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction from Houston Baptist University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Texas at Austin.