Maribel Gardea is a nationally recognized education advocate, nonprofit leader, and founder of MindShiftED Parent Institute, a grassroots movement by and for families working to transform education systems through parent leadership. A proud Latina leader and product of Texas public schools, Maribel earned her degree in Communication Design from Texas State University. Her work is deeply rooted in lived experience. After her second son was born with severe disabilities, she left her career in marketing to advocate for his access to education and services. This experience exposed the systemic barriers families face when navigating school systems. What began as personal advocacy has grown into a movement. Through MindShiftED, Maribel has supported over 5,000 families, many of whom are Spanish-speaking and historically underserved. She equips families with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to advocate for high-quality education, navigate special education systems, and lead change in their communities.
Maribel has been recognized for both her service and courageous leadership. She is a recipient of the National Parents Union Resource Hero Award (2024), The City Fund Courageous Leadership Award (2019), the Educating All Learners Alliance (EELA) Grant Award (2024), and was honored as Teamability’s Family of the Year (2022). In 2025 she also co-developed a Family Engagement Award framework in partnership with the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), contributing to national efforts to redefine authentic family-school collaboration. Her work has been featured across national and regional media, including CNN, The New York Times, NPR, Univision, Telemundo, and major Texas outlets. Maribel is a graduate of the City Fund Leaders Fellowship (2022), an alumna of the LSAISD Education Leadership Development Program (2022), and a member of the PIE Network and the 2025-2026 PIE Leadership Institute cohort. Maribel believes lasting change in education happens when families are not just included, but organized, informed, and leading the way.