CA EPFP Leadership Team
Iqbal Atwal
Director, Professional Learning
Education Insights Center
Iqbal Atwal is the director of learning at EdInsights, where he leads and supports professional learning initiatives designed to strengthen institutional capacity, improve student transitions, and advance equity-focused practices across California’s education systems. A first-generation college graduate and the son of immigrant parents, Iqbal’s commitment to educational equity is grounded in lived experience and in positions held across all four public education systems in California—K–12, community colleges, the California State University, and the University of California.
Iqbal also serves as co-principal investigator for the US Department of Education’s HSI-STEM Grant at California State University, Stanislaus, where he leads multimillion-dollar initiatives that improve STEM retention, strengthen community college transfer pathways, expand workforce preparation, and advance institutional practices that support first-generation and low-income students. His earlier work at UC Merced focused on graduate recruitment, student success, and high-impact programming for diverse student populations. Iqbal holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from CSU Stanislaus. His professional interests include strengthening student sense of belonging, improving educational transitions, building career pathways, and supporting evidence-based institutional improvement. Outside of work, he enjoys playing basketball, exploring the state of California, and spending time with his family.
Leonor Ehling
Executive Director and California EPFP Co-Director
Center for California Studies
Leonor Ehling is the Executive Director of the Center for California Studies at Sac State. Prior to joining the Center in 2018, Leonor spent 22 years working as staff to the California Legislature. Her work there began as a consultant with the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and continued with jobs as a Principal Consultant to the Assembly Budget Committee, Legislative Director for Assembly member Wilma Chan, Director of the Senate Office of Research, and Deputy Director of the Senate Appointments Unit. She is honored to be part of the Center’s important work: helping to develop California’s future leaders, providing research support to the legislative and executive branches, and promoting civic literacy.
Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton, Ph.D.
Program Manager, CA EPFP
Dr. Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton is an educational leader and public speaker with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education and public service. She is committed to educational equity and affordable college access for everyone. Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton has served as a college professor, educational administrator and community advocate. She inspires all of us to become social advocates, change makers, and dream weavers.
Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton has a strong base of experience in multicultural affairs practice and research. One of her proudest endeavors was serving as the Founding Director of the Middle Eastern Student Center at the University of California, Riverside; the first cultural center of its kind in the UC System and in California. She also served as a Past-President of the California Council of Cultural Centers in Higher Education (CaCCCHE). CaCCCHE is a network of higher education leaders committed to social justice and educational equity on college campuses.
Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton is a University of California (UC) Regent Emerita who served a two-year term (2015-2017). During her doctoral studies, she was appointed by the UC Board of Regents to serve as the 42nd Student Regent and was involved in higher education policy and advocacy work at the state and federal level. For her years of community advocacy and involvement, she was recognized as a “Woman of Distinction” by Jose Medina, California State Assembly Member and Chair of the Higher Education Committee. She is also a CA Educational Policy Alumna and HOPE Latinas fellow who remains involved in statewide higher education policy work.
She received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Policy at the University of California, Riverside. She also received an M.S. in counseling with an emphasis on student development and higher education from California State University, Long Beach, and received a B.A in Economics and French from California State University, Fullerton.