Neftali Ortiz, a Specialist for Prince George’s County Public School Department of Family and Community Engagement has been working with Immigrant and Refugee families to improve the education of children in immigrant and Refugees families. He oversees the Diverse Family Engagement Initiative for the Department of Family and Community Engagement for PGCPS and helps families understand the school system’s expectations while removing barriers. Neftali was a Parent Engagement Assistant (PEA) for 16 years. As a PEA, Neftali trained teachers and staff on how to communicate and work effectively with families as equal partners and helped parents/families understand the educational system.