Crystal Tapia-Romero

Crystal Tapia-Romero
District 5

Finance Committee Chair
Board of Education, Term Expires: 2025

Phone: (505) 880-3729
Email: crystal.tapiaromero@aps.edu
(Please send all invitations to events to boarded@aps.edu.)

Video Introduction

Biography

• APS Board Member 2022-present
• AA Child Development, CNM
• AA Business Administration, CNM

Crystal Tapia-Romero is a lifelong Albuquerque resident and a proud graduate of APS (Chaparral Elementary School, S.R. Marmon Elementary School, John Adams Middle School, and West Mesa High School).  Crystal is an advocate for early childhood education providers, families and children on a local, state, and federal level.  Crystal is currently the policy chair for the New Mexico Childcare and Education Association and sits on the Early Learning Advisory Council to the Governor.  In her spare time, Crystal and her husband Ricardo enjoy softball, volleyball, and raising their children and dogs. 

Ms. Tapia-Romero believes that education is the foundation to success, and she wants to improve outcomes for children so they can accomplish their dreams. For the last twenty years Crystal has been an early childhood advocate and leader, and she has extensive experience running early childhood centers.  As the founder of New Mexico Early Learning Academy, Crystal has years of successful small business experience.  Crystal wants to share her experiences, learnings and expertise from early learning, staff recognition, and support to help APS improve.

“We have some of the greatest choice options in the state to offer to our children, our students, and our families. Due to the complexity and sheer size of the district, getting the right information and opportunities to the families that might benefit from them the most is challenging. I think some of the greatest assets we have in our district include the Dual Enrollment programs and the CEC (Career Enrichment Center) Programs; these programs ensure that our students not only graduate from high school but also have skills that they can begin using immediately in the workforce post-graduation.” – CTR 2021

“If we have learned anything during this pandemic, it is that we must update our methods of communications and collaborate more with the community.” – CTR 2021

“I support family choice. Additionally, APS could learn from some of the charter schools that are having better outcomes than APS. We need to learn to work together, not compete because we are all public schools. We are here for the students. Students come first.” –CTR 2021

Organizations Present and Past

• Founder of the New Mexico Early Learning Academy

• Co-Founder/Co-Owner at Benefits Solutions of New Mexico

• Owner Operator at Early Childhood Solutions

• Early Learning Advisory Council

• Policy Chair at New Mexico Child Care and Education Association

• 2019 Nominee for the ABQ Businesswoman Working with Children and Families Award