Keynote Speaker
Mrs. Karla Hernández-Mats
Mrs. Karla Hernández-Mats is a first generation American of Honduran descent born and raised in Miami. She is the first Hispanic officer to be elected to United Teachers of Dade, the largest labor union in the Southeast United States. Mrs. Hernández-Mats served a three-year term as Secretary/Treasurer starting in 2010 and was elected President in February 2016.
She has a Bachelor’s degree from Florida International University in Emotionally Handicapped Education and a Master’s degree in Business Management from St. Thomas University. Mrs. Hernández-Mats is a staunch advocate for public education. She taught students with special needs for nearly 10 years and was honored as Teacher of the Year at Hialeah Middle School in 2010 prior to being elected to office.
Her active membership in her church has driven her to engage in humanitarian efforts overseas and sparked her passion for social justice. In June 2014, she was appointed as the Chairperson of the American Federation of Teachers Women’s Rights Committee.
Mrs. Hernández-Mats is a member of the FEA (Florida Education Association) Governance Board and was elected as a member of the FEA Cabinet in July of 2015. She has also been a national presenter for the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA).
Mrs. Hernández-Mats is happily married and the mother of two. Her goal as a leader is to have a profound impact on education policy and ensure a sound future for all children attending Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Participating Schools
Broward County
Coral Glades High School
Piper High School
Stranahan High School
West Broward High School
Collier County
Naples High School
Lee County
Ida S. Baker High School
Riverdale High School
Miami-Dade County
Felix Varela Senior High School
Hialeah Gardens Senior High School
John A. Ferguson Senior High School
Mater Academy Charter High School
Miami Coral Park Senior High School
Miami Jackson Senior High School
Miami Norland Senior High School
Miami Senior High School
Miami Springs Senior High School
Ronald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School
St. Brendan High School
School for Advanced Studies-South