Raúl Echevarría is an educational leader, entrepreneur, and advocate with more than 20 years of experience advancing excellence in early childhood language immersion. As a co-founder of CommuniKids Preschool and Children’s Language Centers, he has helped build one of the Washington, D.C. region’s leading immersion preschool networks, supporting young children’s multilingual development, kindergarten readiness, and social-emotional growth.

Raúl’s commitment to bilingual education is rooted in both personal experience and purpose. Of Cuban-Puerto Rican origin, he was raised bilingually in Puerto Rico. In childhood, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and learned at a young age how language and learning differences shape a child's sense of belonging—insights that continue to inform his approach to education and educational leadership.

At age 14, Raúl moved to the Boston area and entered an English-only public school system where he faced the challenges of adjusting to a new academic culture. With his mother’s advocacy and his own perseverance, he came to believe that students’ linguistic backgrounds and learning profiles must be recognized as strengths, not deficits.

These experiences gave Raúl a unique understanding of both the promise and the pitfalls of bilingual and immersion environments: when designed thoughtfully, they allow children to flourish; when unsupported, children can flounder. This insight continues to inform his work building learning communities that recognize diversity as a strength.

Today, Raúl is a recognized voice in multilingual early learning. His work sits at the intersection of research, practice, and educational entrepreneurship. A central element of his vision has been building a mission-driven organization. CommuniKids has created professional pathways for highly qualified multilingual teachers—including internationally trained educators and immigrants whose talents are often overlooked in the U.S. By leveraging their linguistic and cultural expertise, Raúl has fostered a model that advances educational excellence while expanding opportunity.

Before entering the field of education, Raúl worked in civil rights law and public service, focusing on whistleblower protection and anti-discrimination efforts. He completed advanced teacher training through George Washington University’s Teacher 2000 program and pursued extensive Spanish language and cultural studies in Madrid. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Boston University and a J.D. from the University of Puerto Rico.