Irma is the co-founder and lead designer of the FOX Fellowship program.  She is also currently an independent consultant helping fast-growing organizations in all sectors to develop and optimize their operational infrastructure to achieve consistent results. Prior to this role, Irma was the Chief Operating Officer at IDEA Public Schools, a fast-growing PK-12 network of public charter schools, home to more than 75,000 students throughout Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Ohio. Irma served in this role for over a decade and was responsible for the expansion from 6 to 139 schools.  She led IDEA’s non-instructional work, specifically: Construction, Facilities Maintenance, Information Technology, Software Development, Child Nutrition and School to Farm programs, Health Services, Transportation, Campus Operations, including Student Recruitment and Front-office Management, Marketing and Communications. She led a team of more than 3200 employees and directly managed a budget of nearly $400M.  Prior to joining IDEA, Irma worked for GMAC, the financial arm of General Motors. In this capacity she spearheaded investment strategy in emerging markets around the country. Before joining GMAC, Irma worked with Fannie Mae and the World Bank to implement a variety of initiatives throughout Latin America, including the development of Mexico’s first securitization platform. Her work led to the issuance of this country’s first mortgage back security and ultimately the establishment of a secondary mortgage market. 

Irma is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. She was awarded the Woodrow Wilson Public Policy Fellowship and obtained her MA from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Irma is a PAHARA fellow and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She is married to Oscar Chapa and is the proud mom to Olivia Natalia (9yrs going on 21 – help!), and Cruz Mateo (15yrs -help too!). Irma was born and raised in Mexico and immigrated to the US at the age of 16.