ABOUT | Diana Maldonado | Candidate School

Diana Maldonado

Diana Maldonado is the founder of Candidate School, a national leadership development platform preparing first-time candidates and civic leaders to serve with confidence, integrity, and purpose.

A former Texas State Representative and school board trustee, Diana brings decades of experience across elected office, state government, education governance, finance, business, and community leadership. As a first-time candidate and single mother, she stepped into public service without the traditional political network or roadmap—and went on to become the first Latina elected to represent her district in the Texas House.

That lived experience shapes Candidate School today.

Diana understands that becoming a public leader requires more than campaign tactics. It requires clarity about who you are, trusted relationships, practical preparation, resilience, and the ability to grow through every stage of the journey.

Through Candidate School, she built a national pipeline for first-time local candidates while partnering with organizations to develop customized curriculum, e-learning, and leadership programs that strengthen the next generation of public and civic leaders.

She is also the bestselling author of The Unlikely Candidate: Breaking Barriers to Elected Office and Beyond. Her experiences in public service, business, community leadership, marathon running, and global travel bring multiple perspectives to one central purpose: helping people recognize the leader they may already be—and prepare for the leader they are becoming.

Board of Advisors

Joe Arenella

Joe Arenella is the founder of Sign Tech International, a 60-person sign company that served national chains, local developers, and major projects, including Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

After building and operating a successful sign shop, Joe became a software entrepreneur. He founded SignTracker to give sign shop owners an easier way to quote jobs, track production, and run their businesses more efficiently.

Today, Joe also co-owns Behind the Signs Media, helping bring practical education, industry insight, and new opportunities to sign professionals around the world.

Natomi Blair

Mrs. Natomi Blair is a seasoned enterprise technology leader with 16+ years driving strategic growth for Fortune 100 and 200 organizations. She has led high‑performing teams, managed multimillion‑dollar portfolios, and guided a 12‑member sales organization to sustained success. In her current role as an Account Executive with Gartner, she supports Texas higher education institutions in data‑driven decision making, leveraging her business acumen and consultative leadership to help colleges modernize their technology ecosystems and strengthen student success outcomes.

A dedicated public servant, Mrs. Blair represents the City of Leander as an elected member of the Leander City Council. Raised in a military family and grounded in faith, she leads with integrity, transparency, and purposeful action. Her community leadership includes service across Leander ISD through Leadership LISD, the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DEWIC), and the Jim Plain Elementary PTA Board of Directors. She also serves as a member and former Chairwoman of the Board for KAZI 88.7 FM, a 40‑year nonprofit radio station amplifying community voices.

Rooted in the greater Austin area for more than two decades, Mrs. Blair embodies the belief that service is a practice, not a position. Her blend of corporate expertise, civic leadership, and commitment to educational advancement uniquely positions her to guide emerging leaders through the Candidates School advisory board, where she champions the development of strong, values‑driven leadership for a resilient future.

Adrian Garcia

Commissioner Adrian Garcia was born and raised in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood, and joined the Houston Police Department upon graduating high school.

After a distinguished career as police officer across two decades, he was elected to Houston City Council District H and named Mayor Pro Tem under Mayor Bill White. In 2008, Garcia became the first Latino Sheriff of Harris County. In 2018, Garcia was elected as the County Commissioner for Precinct 2, the northern and eastern portions of Harris County that spans from Aldine to League City.

Commissioner Adrian Garcia was born and raised in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood, and joined the Houston Police Department upon graduating high school.

Now running for his third term, Garcia remains focused on revitalizing Precinct 2 through strategic investments in infrastructure, public safety, and economic opportunity. His mission is to make Precinct 2 the best place to live, work, and play for all.

Marta Loachamin

Boulder County Commissioner Marta Loachamin is a long-time Longmont resident dedicated to social, economic, and housing justice. She works to create opportunities for families across Boulder County and the Front Range.

Marta represents key political organizations, including the Consortium of Cities, Mobility and Access for All, Metro Area County Commissioners, and Workforce Boulder County. Appointed by Governor Jared Polis, she also serves on the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC).

Before joining the Board of County Commissioners, Marta led a Community Foundation Boulder County initiative highlighting the role of Cultural Brokers in inclusive decision-making. She also partnered with the City of Longmont to launch the Resiliency for All Project, later adopted statewide by Colorado’s Division of Local Affairs to aid underserved communities in disaster recovery. A previous educator and housing advocate, she helped hundreds of first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership, teaching economic stability for families.

Marta’s leadership includes serving as a national trainer for the Hispanic Wealth Project and as President of the Metro Denver Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. She has been an instructor for the Colorado Housing Finance Authority homebuyer class and served on various community boards, including Longmont United Hospital/Centura Health and High Plains Bank.

Elsa Zambrano

Elsa Zamrano is a CHRO and global HR executive who helps organizations translate business strategy into talent, leadership, and culture priorities that drive results. She's partnered with CEOs and boards, led HR teams across multiple regions, and guided organizations through acquisitions, transformation, and large-scale change.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Zambrano led HR organizations at global scale, supporting teams across 20+ countries and workforces of tens of thousands of employees.

Her experience includes building executive succession pipelines, strengthening leadership capability, improving engagement beyond industry benchmarks, and implementing HR systems and automation to scale operations efficiently.

She is particularly experienced in navigating complexity — acquisitions, private equity environments, global integration, and organizational redesign — while maintaining focus on culture and performance.

Today, as CHRO for Bluejack Fire, she partners with senior leaders to strengthen leadership teams, align the people strategy, and optimize business growth.