Ronalda Tome-Warito

Ronalda Tome-Warito
District 2

Contact Ronalda Tome-Warito(Submit an event invitation.) 

 

 

Board Role 

• APS Board Member: 2024-present 
• Term Ends: Dec. 31, 2027
• Officer/Chair:
• Vice President: 2024
• Audit Committee Chair: 2024
• APS Board Committees: 
• Audit (chair)
• Finance
• Policy
• Represents the APS Board: 
• School Health Advisory Council 

Biography

Ronalda Tome-Warito made history when she was sworn in as an Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education member on Jan. 3, 2024, becoming the first Native American to serve in that position at APS. An educational consultant and longtime advocate for children with disabilities and Native students, Tome-Warito has a deep appreciation for the value of public education and the diverse experiences it offers to students. She says her background and knowledge make her uniquely suited to bridge gaps between APS and the tribes and to include them as viable stakeholders.

Shortly after being sworn in, Tome-Warito noted that Native children weren’t always welcome at APS. She also invoked her great-great-grandmother, saying that she walked the Long Walk of the Navajo in 1863. More than 10,000 Navajo were forcibly removed to the Bosque Redondo Reservation at Fort Sumner. The U.S. military marched them 250 to 450 miles, and thousands died. Tome-Warito hopes the perspective she brings to the board can foster healing for those suffering from intergenerational trauma.

She has three children and serves as vice president of the APS board. Tome-Warito would like to see the district do more to leverage community relationships and collaborate with local organizations, schools, and community leaders. She also plans to push for improved special education programs and to advocate for bringing tribal leaders and communities to the table. Tome-Warito would also like to see more career technical education programs at APS.

Tome-Warito has a liberal arts degree with an emphasis on special education from the University of New Mexico and a race and social justice certificate also from UNM. 

In Her Own Words

"I hope my term offers a different lens to see all children, especially those of color, who have not only felt the traumas of what the schools have done but to hope, heal, and be successful. We all need to recognize that we all have a responsibility to our students. It will take everyone to make sure that this district does what we need to.” – 2024

“Public education indeed plays a crucial role in shaping the lives of students, and parents’ involvement is instrumental in ensuring their children receive a quality education.” – 2023

“I feel I can bring the community together to focus on the concerns of our school district, but the district has to allow the community in.” – 2023

 Organizations Present and Past

• Martinez and Yazzie Lawsuits, Special Education Advocate and Witness 2018 - Current
• National Indian Education Association Planning Committee, 2022-2023
• Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, 2022 - Current
• President of the New Mexico Individual Disabilities Education Act
• President of the New Mexico Parent Engagement Association
• Vice President of National Indian Education Association Board
• New Mexico State Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights
• National Parent Teacher Association, Diversity Committee
• Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee
• South Central Indian Education Advisory Committee 
• APS Special Education Parent Advisory
• Parent Booster for the Cibola Swim Team and Cross Country
• Parent Booster for the Orchestra CHS

Possible Conflicts of Interest

Vice President Tome-Warito does contract work for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. She has two grandnieces in APS schools. 

Contact Ronalda Tome-Warito

This page was last updated on: December 15, 2023.