About me
Dr. Kim Lanoy-Sandoval is a proud New Mexican with over 20 years of experience in education. At Future Focused Education, she co-designs educational systems with local expertise to ensure a more equitable, relevant, and engaging learning experience for youth. Kim is a mom, educator, and a member of the Navajo Nation. She is passionate about creating educational landscapes that value and affirm students’ identities, experiences, and learning well beyond standardized scores.
Kim began her career as a school behavioral specialist with a bachelor’s in psychology from Ft. Lewis College. After nine years as a special education teacher and earning a master’s in special education from the University of New Mexico, Kim became a literacy specialist and district trainer for Albuquerque Public Schools, co-creating a practitioner-based model for professional licensure in special education for a district serving over 70,000 students. In 2016, Kim joined Cooperative Educational Services as their senior trainer and later co-founded and directed LEAP, New Mexico’s first statewide independent alternative licensure program for teachers, completing her doctorate’s degree in educational leadership from Gonzaga University.
Dr. Lanoy-Sandoval is a lifelong learner and enjoys collaborating with schools in every part of the state, partnering and co-teaching with hundreds of educators across New Mexico. Kim serves on New Mexico’s Indian Education Advisory Board and the Professional Practices Standards Committee. These opportunities amplify her passion for researching, supporting, and uplifting educators in reimagining outdated, inequitable school systems as centers of authentic learning by prioritizing youth voices, affirming culture, and valuing local wisdom.
