Banu Valladares is the executive director of Charlotte Bilingual Preschool and represents LatinX families on the Mecklenburg County Early Learning Initiative Executive Committee, the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, and the NC Early Childhood Foundation Board. Valladares was recently honored as a local “Opportunity Champion” by Leading on Opportunity. She is currently earning a business certificate through the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award and Cornell University.