Hecniris Rosario De Leon serves as the Executive Director of Olive Tree Early Learning Academy, where she leads the organization’s educational vision, operations, staff development, community partnerships, and long-term sustainability. With more than a decade of experience in early childhood education, coaching, and leadership, she brings both a deep understanding of child development and a commitment to building strong systems that allow children, families, educators, and communities to thrive.
Hecniris holds a bachelor’s degree in Family Ecology with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from the University of Puerto Rico and a master’s degree in Ethics and Leadership from Johnson University. She also completed the Consortium for Social Enterprise Effectiveness (CSEE) Certificate Program through the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, further strengthening her work in nonprofit leadership, organizational strategy, and sustainability.
Her leadership is grounded in a whole-child, relationship-based approach and a high image of both children and educators. She believes high-quality early childhood education requires more than strong classroom practices, it requires intentional leadership, meaningful family and community partnerships, equitable access, continuous learning, and responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to an organization.
Before becoming Executive Director, Hecniris served as Olive Tree’s Director of Curriculum & Learning and has worked as an early childhood educator, coach, facilitator, and professional development specialist. Her experience includes supporting educators through Practice-Based Coaching, focused observations, classroom management, Conscious Discipline, Creative Curriculum, and evidence-based strategies for supporting children with diverse developmental and behavioral needs.
Hecniris is passionate about strengthening the early childhood workforce and contributing to the broader field of early education. In addition to leading Olive Tree, she serves on Pellissippi State Community College’s Early Childhood Education Advisory Board and supports partnerships that provide future educators with meaningful field experiences in high-quality early childhood settings.
At the heart of her leadership is a commitment to ensuring that excellence and access can exist together, building an early learning community where children are deeply known, families are valued as partners, educators are supported in their growth, and high-quality early childhood education is accessible to families across the community.
