Title: Principal
Company: Chinle High School, Chinle Unified School District
Location: Tucson, Arizona, United States
Raymond Y. Andrade, EdD, Principal at Chinle High School, part of Chinle Unified School District, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Academic Administration.
Dr. Andrade has established himself in both education and public health, marked by three decades of dedicated service and leadership. Since 2022, he has served as the principal at Chinle High School within the Chinle Unified School District on the Navajo Nation in Chinle, Arizona. In this capacity, Dr. Andrade empowers teams across academic programs, student services, and college and career readiness initiatives to maximize student success. As part of his responsibilities, he allocates his time to supporting administrative staff, student services and classroom activities while remaining committed to active engagement in academic programs. Dr. Andrade’s leadership is characterized by a focus on professional development for teachers, fostering instructional coaching and promoting data-driven decision-making.
Before joining Chinle High School, Dr. Andrade was the principal at ACE Charter High School in San Jose, California, from 2020 to 2022. There, he continued his commitment to student empowerment and academic excellence. Dr. Andrade held the same title at ACE Inspire Middle School in San Jose between 2017 and 2020, where he was instrumental in implementing strategies that fostered student motivation and achievement.
During the 2017 academic year, Dr. Andrade taught in higher education as a lecturer in the College of Public Health at The University of Arizona, sharing his knowledge and expertise with future public health professionals. This position followed his five-year tenure as an instructional designer and trainer at the Western Region Public Health Training Center within the college of public health campus, which began in 2012, during which he developed training programs for public health professionals. Dr. Andrade’s foundational role at the university took place between 2012 and 2014 as an instruction coordinator at the Arizona Public Health Training Center.
Among his earlier positions, Dr. Andrade made an impact on students as an assistant coach for the Sunnyside High School Track and Field program in the Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona, from 2016 to 2017. He had previously worked as an assistant principal for the Tucson Unified School District between 2011 and 2012 and for the Sunnyside Unified School District from 2008 to 2011, after serving as an instructional coach and curriculum specialist within the Sunnyside Unified School District between 2000 and 2008, where he played a pivotal role in shaping instructional practices districtwide.
Dr. Andrade first taught in higher education as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education at Northern Arizona University in 2007. He began his educational career as a science teacher for seventh and eighth grade students in the Sunnyside Unified School District 10 years earlier, in 1997. Throughout these roles, Dr. Andrade has demonstrated exceptional skill in curriculum development and instructional leadership.
Dr. Andrade’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping his approach to education and leadership. He completed a Bachelor of Science in health sciences with a community school option at The University of Arizona in 1995. As a collegiate varsity track and field player, he was a letter winner for the team from 1991 to 1993. In 2005, Dr. Andrade earned a Master of Education in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University, providing foundational knowledge for his transition into administrative roles. More recently, he acquired a Doctor of Education in educational leadership and administration from Northern Arizona University in 2016. In addition to his formal education, his professional credentials include an education administrator certificate and graduation from the E-Learning Institute at the Centers for Disease Control.
Among Dr. Andrade’s professional affiliations, he is a member of the Arizona Administrative Association, reflecting his ongoing commitment to advancing educational leadership standards statewide. He has also contributed to professional conferences, such as Communities Putting Partners to Work, the Regional AVID Conference, the National Ed Trust Conference, the Sunnyside Science Adoption Committee and the National Scholastic Literacy Conference in various parts of the country. Additionally, Dr. Andrade served as a panelist for “Public Education in the Midst of COVID” at the 2020 Silicon Valley Leadership Group Education Summit.
Civically, Dr. Andrade has participated multiple times with the Tucson International Airport United’s community advisory board environmental fair and facilitated programs like the Sunnyside Math and Science Summer Academy. As a member of the NCAA Cross Country All-American Team since 1989 and participant with Youth on Their Own, he demonstrates ongoing dedication to youth development.
A prolific contributor to educational literature and public health scholarship, Dr. Andrade co-authored a peer-reviewed article in Pedagogy in Health Promotion: Descriptive Best Practices on the development and evolution of public health essentials in 2017. He has also developed educational resources for various professional conferences and keynote addresses, covering topics such as building positive relationships with communities, advocacy guidance for professionals working with Native American communities and needs assessments for rural public health departments.
Among Dr. Andrade’s most significant professional achievements is leading the improvement of Chinle High School’s grade from a D to a B within one year, a testament to his expertise in school regeneration and K-12 curriculum instruction. He regards this accomplishment as a reflection of his team’s dedication and the students’ resilience, and he remains committed to further elevating the school’s performance in the years ahead.
Dr. Andrade attributes much of his success to the unwavering support of his family and professional network. He credits teachers, coaches and especially his wife, an accomplished physician, for inspiring him through their shared belief in education’s transformative power. Growing up as the son of first-generation Latino Mexican immigrant parents who became citizens in 1995, Dr. Andrade overcame significant challenges in South Tucson with guidance from mentors, including his high school running coaches. His athletic achievements, including becoming an individual state champion in cross-country for Arizona in 1986, opened doors for higher education opportunities that ultimately led him into teaching and coaching.
Dr. Andrade’s work has been recognized through numerous awards, beginning with a Facilitator Award from The University of Arizona in 1999. Others include the Bob Walkup Recognition Teacher of the Year award in 2001, the Alberto Guerrero Teacher of the Year award in 2001, and The University of Arizona Staff Excellence Award in Research in 2015.
Looking ahead, Dr. Andrade aims to establish strong teams within schools that can sustain progress independently while continuing to support students, particularly those from rural or Native American communities, in their growth journeys. Inspired by student resilience, he seeks to create sustainable models that endure beyond his tenure, whether within school communities or at the district level. Ultimately, Dr. Andrade envisions transitioning into consulting after retirement so that he may continue advancing educational excellence across broader contexts.
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