Mr. Lapica brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in education. With over a decade of experience as an educator, and a school leader since 2017, including significant leadership roles such as Founding Principal, Instructional Director and most recently, Executive Director of the National Academic Educational Partners network of schools, Mr. Lapica has consistently demonstrated his commitment to academic excellence and student achievement.

Under his leadership as the founding principal at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School, the school achieved numerous accolades, including an A rating from the state of Florida and national recognition for STEM and bilingual education initiatives. His expertise in instructional coaching, school startup operations, and fostering strong community partnerships has been pivotal in driving substantial academic growth and establishing thriving extracurricular programs.

Prior to joining AcadeMir Charter School East, Mr. Lapica served as the Executive Director of a network of charter schools. Under his leadership the network became system accredited by Cognia, multiple schools earned official authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization, and directly led the transformation of  the 100 Academy in Las Vegas, where he spearheaded remarkable improvements in student performance and enrollment, and took the school from being the lowest performing school in the state to one of the top 3 schools in North Las Vegas

Mr. Lapica, a father of three young children, is an avid fan of all things Disney. As a University of Florida graduate, he is a huge fan of the Florida Gators, and can often be found cheering them on in all sports. He enjoys reading, playing video games, and golfing in his spare time. He is looking forward to less travel and being able to dedicate more time to his family.

With over 18 years of experience, Ms. Valladares’ educational experience began after having earned an Associate degree in Elementary Education and an Associate in Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from Miami Dade College. She then pursued a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education and a Master Level in Educational Leadership from Barry University. Ms. Valladares has been able to acquire a well-rounded level of educational expertise by holding positions in a number of different capacities, such as: elementary school teacher, grade level lead, science coach, STEM liaison, test chair, ESOL coordinator and most recently Assistant Principal. Altogether these distinct roles and experiences have given her the opportunity to see the different facets of running an efficient and effective school.

Ms. Valladares is a leader with a passion for building the capacity of both teachers and students. She has served as an elementary teacher and science coach for AcadeMir Charter School West since 2016. During her time, ACSW remained an A rated school with high-ranking achievements in the areas of science and STEM.

More recently, Ms. Valladares supported the school in achieving Cognia STEM Certification in 2020 and Cognia reaccreditation in 2022. Ms. Valladares’ commitment to these reviews were the culmination of arduous effort and very thoughtful multi-year processes that included students, teachers and community members alike.