Office of Academic Effectiveness

My life started in Margarita Island, Venezuela many years ago. The oldest of seven siblings, I completed my K-21 in Venezuela. After working in the school system as a Science teacher, School District Supervisor, and Interim Superintendent of 210 schools I left for the United States to complete my Master, Specialist and Doctor of Education degrees. My professional life has been full of rich experiences, some of which started as I received five different Fulbright Scholar awards. As a scholar, researcher, community activist, human rights advocate, published author and Professor Emerita in Northeastern Illinois University, I have traveled the world teaching as a visiting professor, training junior faculty, preparing teachers and school leaders, speaking at conferences, conducting research, doing humanitarian work, creating coalitions for Latino leadership parity, establishing digital bridges for minorities but overall learning from others. I have dedicated time to develop my infatuation for education and the multiple recognitions and local, national and international rewards have reaffirmed the work I do passionately. I have been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the USA, 50 Most Influential Latinos in Chicago and, 30 Outstanding Visionary Women in Higher Education, 2016 Distinguished Woman in Education, 2020 Dr. John Hernandez Leadership Award in Higher Education for Latinx Communities and 2020 Latinos on Boards in Chicagoland among many other distinctions supporting my education engagement. I continue creating educational spaces to increase leadership opportunities for Latinx population at all levels of education. A few of my proud accomplishments include serving in Humanity in Action a worldwide Rotary International campaign to eradicate poverty; co-founding both ILCEL, a coalition to protect equity for Latinos in education and IVA, an alliance to demand humanitarian awareness of Venezuelans facing human rights violations.
In my position as the Director of the newly created Office of Academic Effectiveness at St. Augustine College, I will continue my advocacy for quality education, equal opportunities, and equity on services and resources for the Latinx community that our institution serves.

Judith Yturriago received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She also received a Master of Arts in Linguistics with a specialization in English as a second language (ESL) from UIC. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in education with a major of Spanish from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the University of Valladolid, Spain. Judith taught in ESL, bilingual and Spanish programs in the Chicago Public Schools for nine years. She taught English with the Department of Defense Dependents’ Schools Europe for four years in Hanau, Germany. After returning to the United States, Judith worked as a bilingual consultant and teacher trainer in the Illinois Resource Center for 11 years. She also served as Director of the federally funded Title VII Midwest Multifunctional Resource Center in Chicago for five years. Judith went on to work as an elementary school principal and the Director of ESL, Bilingual, State Pre-K Programs in Evanston, Illinois for 11 years. After retiring from Evanston School District 65, Judith spent 10 years as an associate professor at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and retired as Associate Professor Emerita in 2018. Judith started at St. Augustine College in September 2020 as Curriculum Project Director.