Beatriz “BB” Otero is the Founder, President and CEO of CentroNía, an award-winning educational organization that has been serving children and families in the District of Columbia since its founding in 1986.

A native of Bolivia, BB is a long-time resident of the District of Columbia. In 2006, BB was invited by the Rockefeller Foundation and the German Marshall Fund to participate in a month-long, transatlantic dialogue on Migration in Bellagio, Italy. In 2003, she was appointed to serve on the Child Welfare Panel of the State of New Jersey, responsible for oversight of its Child Welfare Reform Plan. BB serves on numerous boards including the Center for the Study of Social Policy, the Columbia Heights / Shaw Family Support Collaborative, the Equal Rights Center, the Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness and the Mayor’s Committee on Early Childhood Care and Education and is a founding member of the DC Public Charter School Board.

BB is a highly recognized community leader and activist, and is the recipient of numerous awards including Leadership Washington’s Betty Whaley Leadership Award, the Association of Hispanic Employees Leadership Award, the DC Action for Children’s Public Service Award and was named Washingtonian of the Year in 2000.

She holds a degree in Education from the University of Maryland and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Southeastern University. BB is a skilled and dedicated leader who has worked for over 35 years to bring accessible bilingual, multicultural education to the Washington Metropolitan community and beyond.