I'm Laura Escamilla, a higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience helping students, families, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations navigate the complexities of college access and affordability. Throughout my career, I have partnered with colleges and universities, school districts, businesses, and community organizations to expand scholarship opportunities, strengthen educational partnerships, and improve outcomes for students.

I earned my Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Northeastern University, where my Dissertation in Practice, Bridging the College Affordability Gap: Action Research on Financial Support for Middle-Class Families in Texas, examined how nonprofit scholarship organizations can better support middle-class families through earlier financial planning and scholarship awareness. Using an action research methodology, I designed, implemented, and evaluated an organizational intervention focused on translating research into practical solutions that help families make more informed decisions about paying for college.

Professionally, my experience spans executive leadership, organizational strategy, project and program management, and higher education partnerships. Personally, I'm also a mom who has guided two children through the college journey and understands firsthand the excitement, uncertainty, and financial decisions that families face along the way.

Those two perspectives—professional and personal—are what inspired me to create Moments That Matter. My goal is to connect families with trusted experts, practical information, and honest conversations that make college planning feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

I believe every family deserves clear, accurate, and actionable information about college affordability so they can make confident decisions about their future.

Isaac Escamilla is the producer of the Moments that Matter podcast, a parent to two outstanding children, two fur babies, and husband to an extraordinary woman. He lives in McAllen, is a professional right-clicker/professional developer, misses Austin, and lives and breathes for good company, good music, and great friends. Send feedback to isaac@momentsmatterpod.com and tweets to @That1saac