Rene Rafael "Ralph" Romero, 71, passed away on September 11, 2020. Rafael received his Associate's Degree at Cochise College, his Bachelor's Degree from ASU in 1972, and graduated from ASU's first Certified Public Manager Program in 1986. In 1991 he graduated from the University of Arizona's Karl Eller Graduate School of Management, Arizona Executive Program.

Rafael was an employee of the State of Arizona since 1974. He worked at the Arizona Department of Economic Security as a Deputy Assistant Director and the Arizona Department of Health Services as an Assistant Director. From 1993 to 2015 he was a Deputy Associate Superintendent at the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) where he oversaw policy development, program implementation, grant administration and financial services for most programs funded under the Improving America's Schools Act of 1995 and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind). From 1995 to 1999 he supervised the Arizona Early Childhood programs, which included Preschool and Kindergarten through Third Grade programs. He served as Arizona State Director of the Migrant Education program from 1995 until his retirement in 2015. Between February of 2001 and February 2003, Rafael was given the responsibility of oversight of the Offices of Arizona's Teacher Certification, Teacher Testing and State Board sponsored Charter Schools. He also managed the Department's Character Education Program from 2001-2003. From 1987-1998, Rafael served as an adjunct professor at ASU teaching Legislative and Regulatory Process for the ASU Advanced Public Executive Program. In March of 2003, Rafael assumed the position of Deputy Associate Superintendent for Special Populations in the School Effectiveness Division at ADE. In 2011, he became Deputy Associate Superintendent for Emergent Student Services and International and Hispanic Community Liaison.

Rafael served on boards of directors of a number of associations including Arizona Administrator's Association, Arizona Board of Directors for Community Colleges, Arizona Certified Public Manager's Association, Arizona Environmental Justice Committee, Arizona Governor's Commission for Character Education, National Association of Directors of Migrant Education. He received numerous awards including the National LULAC "President's Lifetime Humanitarian Achievement Award" in Washington D.C. for his work with Migrant students,  induction into Arizona's PPEP Migrant "Hall of Fame” and the Arizona Governor's prestigious "Tony Certosimo Award" for his contributions to the relationship between Arizona and Sonora Mexico in the field of Education.

After retiring from Arizona State government in 2015 Rafael established "Ralph Romero Consulting" where he consulted business and educational agencies in developing and implementing international education projects. In 2020, he established "USAMEX International LLC", an international consulting firm.



Rafael was preceded in death by four brothers. He is survived by his wife Gemma, four children, eight grandchildren, six siblings and several nieces and nephews. The Romero family prefers that donations be made to PPEP Inc for the Ralph Romero Migrant Scholarship Fund. The scholarship would go to a migrant seasonal farmworker student from the PPEP Tec H.S. campuses to pursue their post-secondary education. Funeral Services were held September 17, 2020 at Saint Frances Xavier Catholic Church in Phoenix. (Source: ASU Foundation)