Academy Head: Karen Dz. Lucero Cox

Karen Dziurzynski Lucero Cox, is head of the Health and Social Sciences Academy at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in Albuquerque. In addition to her work as Academy Head she also teaches history. In October 2009, Cox coordinated the first-ever Health Collaborative between a public high school and UNM’s Medical School and Health Science Center partner; it was a ground breaking 350 person event between AHA Health Academy students and UNM 3rd year Med students. This multi-disciplinary pipeline approach took the concept of professional learning community to a new level. Cox is a contributing author for the recently published New Mexico history textbook entitled “Nuevo Mexico Anthology”. She also co-authored the book’s chapter on the Atrisco Land Grant with Barbara Armijo, a journalist and fellow colleague at AHA HS. Other publications include “Freedom of Speech in the Information Age,” a secondary education lecture series and collaboration sponsored by C-Span at Georgetown University. Cox was also the 2008 winner of the Congressional James Madison Memorial Fellowship which is awarded to a promising teacher allowing further graduate study in American History and Government. She attended Ashland University’s 2009 summer program at the Ashbrook Center in Ohio and will be attending Georgetown University during the summer of 2010. Cox is a Lucero de Godoy descendant through her maternal Hispanic lineage. She grew up in Albuqerque’s South Valley and graduated from Rio Grande High School. Cox received her B.A. from Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., and her first M.A. from The University of New Mexico. She is married and has two children. Cox also enjoys teaching flamenco at Corrales Dance.