Irma Venegas
Director of KIPP Forward
Irma Venegas is the Director of KIPP Forward. Irma, a Denver native and graduate of the University of San Diego, leads our region’s work to support students on their path to college and journey through college and career. As a woman of color and navigating whiteness for most of her professional life, Irma is exhausted by code-switching. Her leadership philosophy is to dismantle dominant culture by creating spaces for her KIPP Forward team to show up wholeheartedly as themselves.
In Irma’s words, “What I love about KIPP is that it's an evolving organization with a great network of colleagues across the country. I stay because I wholeheartedly believe in the mission--supporting our students, families, and alumni. Education transformed my life and I believe that it can also transform our communities. Those who work for KIPP, carry with them a passion and love for our students. I stay because as a Latina, first-generation college graduate, I see myself in our students and they need people who look like them to know that indeed it is possible!”
