Empowering the next generation, our devoted team leads with heart, purpose, and deep community roots. Currently a volunteer-led organization, TAGa is run by a dedicated Board of Directors, with our President also serving as functional Executive Director. We steward the mission with passion and care—while actively working toward expanding our team and building the organizational capacity needed to sustain and scale our impact.
Our Board of Directors is made up of TAG alumni and former educators whose lives were shaped by the very program they now champion. Rooted in lived experience and shared commitment, we carry forward TAG’s legacy to ensure that new generations of talented and gifted youth have access to the same transformative, culturally affirming opportunities that shaped us.
Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora (she/hers) has dedicated two decades to social justice, championing racial and educational equity. As Assistant Superintendent of Boston Public Schools (BPS), she navigated the challenges of COVID-19, reimagining educational strategies and leading the redevelopment of the Community Hub Schools Strategy. She oversaw five key offices, including Health Services, Restorative Justice, Youth Leadership, and Social Work, which she established. Previously, as Executive Director of the Office of Opportunity Gaps, she collaborated across BPS to dismantle structural inequities, advocate for culturally and linguistically sustaining practices, and mandate the district’s Racial Equity Planning Tool.
Before BPS, Ilyitch served in the City of Boston’s Health and Human Services cabinet as Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Fair Housing and Equity. Her commitment to educational justice is rooted in her experience as a BPS student and her leadership in the Talented And Gifted Latino Program (TAG) at UMass Boston, where she served as director for nearly 12 years. TAG, which fosters college access for Latino and bilingual students, is the focus of her PhD dissertation in Educational Leadership at UMass Boston.
A trained community organizer with an MSW and BA from Boston College, she is President of the TAG Association, Inc., promoting Latino culture, art, and education in Greater Boston. Proudly bilingual and a Bostonian Latina of Mexican and Honduran descent, she honors her Zapotec and Mayan heritage. She resides in Boston with her daughter, a 2023 BPS graduate.
Pamela Leins (she/hers) is a first-generation Chilena-Americana Latina, Boston-born and Boston Public Schools-educated. A proud Boston Latin School alum, she took the “scenic route” through Northeastern University, earning her Bachelor’s in 18 years and her Master’s in three—an experience that deepened her resilience and love for learning. She lives by her mother’s wisdom: education is the only thing no one can take away from you.
With over 20 years of leadership in the public and nonprofit sectors, Pam is an expert in strategic planning, advocacy, and resource development. As Executive Director of the Boston Education Fund (BEDF), she works to advance educational equity in Boston Public Schools. She recently launched EdQuity Boston, a $10 million fundraising initiative to support underserved students, families, and educators.
Pam also serves as Vice President of the TAG Association, Inc., supporting Greater Boston’s Latino community, and co-leads El Jolgorio Navideño, New England’s largest Latino holiday gala. She’s a small business owner, running In the Cut Boston, two barbershops in Mission Hill and Nubian Square. At her Nubian Square location, she created La SALA, a multi-use community space that fosters culture, conversation, and connection.
Her impact has earned her recognition as The Dinner Group’s 2024 Trailblazer Honoree and a Boston Women’s Fund Leading Us Toward Liberation Honoree. Above all, Pam remains dedicated to empowering Boston’s youth and strengthening community connections, ensuring her work continues to shape the city’s future for years to come.
Lisette Cordero (she/hers) is a committed public servant, community advocate, and proud TAG alumna whose career reflects a deep dedication to equity, education, and service. She currently serves as Assistant Director of Intake for Boston Public Schools, where she helps ensure that students and families have supportive experience working with the BPS Office of Civil Rights.
Lisette brings a diverse professional background to her work, having previously served as Group Rooms Coordinator at Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport and as a Jail Officer with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, roles that deepened her expertise in operations, community relations, and navigating complex systems. Her journey began with the TAG Latino Program, where she grew from student to Teacher Assistant to Assistant Coordinator, gaining firsthand experience in youth development and culturally sustaining education.
Today, Lisette serves as Board Clerk and Director of Alumni Relations for the TAG Association, helping to strengthen intergenerational ties and steward the legacy of the program that helped shape her own path. She brings both administrative precision and community-centered care to her leadership. A lifelong Bostonian, Lisette lives in Roxbury with her beloved dog, Cora, and remains deeply rooted in the city’s Latino community and the mission of TAGa to uplift the next generation.
Nataniel A. Pimentel Patrone (he/him) is a dedicated professional with a diverse background in administrative support, education, and community engagement. Currently based in Watertown, MA, Nataniel brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering inclusive environments. He provides comprehensive support to the Executive Director and departmental staff at Harvard Alumni Development Services, managing complex schedules and coordinating agreements across the university. His role includes ensuring efficient day-to-day operations through tasks such as procurement, communications, and records management, as well as maintaining budgetary compliance and handling financial operations.
Previously, Nataniel supported financial operations at Harvard Business School, where he processed invoices and assisted in managing a significant operating budget, communicating effectively with vendors to facilitate timely payment processing and resolve discrepancies. His experience also includes providing essential support to students with special needs at James W. Hennigan Elementary School and overseeing administrative tasks at the Talented And Gifted Latino Program (TAG), where he managed
communication between multiple stakeholders and facilitated daily program operations as the Assistant Coordinator.
Nataniel is committed to continuous growth and contributing positively to his community. Outside of work, he is currently pursuing his Bachelors in Finance and Accounting from the Harvard Extension School, enjoys volunteering and exploring opportunities to make a meaningful impact. He resides in Watertown and values spending time with family and friends.
José J. López, M.Ed., J.D. (he/him) is an attorney and dedicated resident of Boston’s Roxbury community. With a background in education and law, he has devoted his career to advancing justice, equity, and diversity. Before practicing law, José was a history teacher in Boston Public Schools. He later became Deputy Director of the City of Boston’s Office of Labor Relations and previously served as a labor attorney for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
As Legal Director of Compliance and Civil Rights at BPS’s Office of Civil Rights, José ensures compliance with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on sex, race, and disability. He oversees the Office of Equity, leads equity training, and ensures BPS remains a welcoming and inclusive environment.
A past President and current Board member of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (MAHA), José actively works to diversify the judiciary. He is also involved in the Labor Guild, Hispanic National Bar Association, and Massachusetts Bar Association.
Holding a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and degrees from Boston College, José’s leadership and commitment to public education and equity support Boston Public Schools in fostering an inclusive, just, and equitable learning environment.
Carlos Rodriguez (he/him) is a proud Puerto Rican and Dominican professional and entrepreneur originally from Boston, MA. With over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, Carlos currently serves as a Business Development Officer at Touchmark National Bank in Georgia, where he helps small businesses access the tools and capital needed to thrive. Previously, he held leadership roles at Wells Fargo and Metro Credit Union, including nearly a decade managing branches in the Greater Boston area.
Also known as DJ Social, Carlos runs a successful entertainment business performing at private events, festivals, and community celebrations across the U.S. and internationally—including TAGa’s El Jolgorio Navideño. Whether through finance or music, Carlos is committed to creating joyful, empowering spaces that reflect and uplift Latino culture.
As a member of the TAG Association Board of Directors, Carlos brings professional expertise and lived experience to the mission of advancing educational and cultural opportunities for Latino youth. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and lives in Georgia with his family, while remaining deeply connected to the Boston community that raised him.
Nigel Rosselló‑Cornier (he/him) brings a deep-rooted commitment to education, Latino youth empowerment, and community leadership. A proud alumnus of the TAG Latino Program, Nigel now helps guide the Association’s mission with purpose and personal insight. His volunteer service alongside fellow alumni and former educators ensures that TAGa continues to offer culturally affirming and deeply impactful programs and initiatives.
Professionally, Nigel has served as a teacher at Cathedral High School since 2018, where he also contributes as an athletic coach. He previously taught in the Summer TAG program for many years. A double Eagle, Nigel earned both his B.A. and M.Ed. from Boston College—further reflecting his dedication to education and community uplift. His professional work aligns seamlessly with TAGa’s mission: creating meaningful pathways for talented Latino youth to thrive.
Nigel, a proud Boricua, lives in Roxbury with his family, where he blends everyday community life with a steadfast commitment to civic engagement. His leadership is rooted in the belief that lived experience matters. From TAG student to educator and board member, Nigel’s journey fuels his drive to expand TAGa’s impact—growing its staffing, infrastructure, and reach so that every young person can access transformative, culturally grounded educational opportunities.
Welcome to Talented And Gifted Association and our extended TAG Family! Whether you were once a student, parent, or educator in the TAG Latino Program or are new to this community, we invite you to join us in elevating the Latino community through education, art, and culture.
The TAG Association is a small but mighty, Latina-led organization that thrives on the time, talent and generosity of our alumni and friends to drive transformative educational, cultural and community development programming. We have an incredible opportunity to disrupt inequitable systems and practices and to create opportunities that empower, advance, and bring joy to our gente.
Like you, the TAG Association embraces the responsibility of ensuring that experiences which transformed our lives remain available to our community — today, tomorrow, and until they are no longer needed. En la unidad está la fuerza. I look forward to working closely with you and our team as we engage our broader community, strengthening the programs that celebrate our culture, educate our youth, and elevate our community.
In service,
Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora, PhD
President, TAG Association
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