Juan Manuel Gonzalez knows firsthand the value and life-changing benefits of a good education. His journey from a 14-year-old immigrant seeking better opportunities to the CEO of one of Mexico’s most impactful educational nonprofits exemplifies the transformative power he now works to provide others.
Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Juan moved to the United States in search of better educational opportunities. After attending Texas A&M and Stanford, he started his career in consulting at Deloitte. But the corporate world couldn’t compete with his deeper calling. Fourteen years after leaving Mexico, Juan returned home with a mission: to lead Enseña por México (Teach for Mexico) as CEO, providing quality education for children and young people throughout the country.
Juan’s work addresses a staggering challenge. In Mexico, more than eight million people have no formal education, and only 22 percent of the population has completed higher education. Juan is instrumental in every aspect of Teach for Mexico’s operations, ensuring the organization can make a tangible difference through programs that reduce educational inequality. And the results speak for themselves. Through Teach for Mexico’s partnership with Teach for All, the organization works with communities, authorities, and organizations to advance educational reforms. Their exponential impact has reached over 200,000 children across Mexico, giving talented yet underserved youth a solid foundation from which they can thrive and prosper.
“I serve as the chairman of his board and have the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible impact that Juan has had in thousands of communities in Mexico,” says Santiago Perez Teuffer Lopez, MBA ’17, MS ’18. Juan hasn’t forgotten the merits of his own education, either. For several years, he has given back to the GSB by volunteering his time to speak with prospective students on behalf of the admissions team. Through his leadership of Teach for Mexico, Juan is living his dream of providing more Mexican citizens access to education that will help them develop their full potential.
