Jorge Robles to join TPS as new COO

Jorge Robles is joining Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) as the district’s Chief Operations Officer (COO).

TPS Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist said that Rob- les, who will officially assume his duties at TPS on May 29, comes to Tulsa from Denver Public Schools (DPS), where he spent three years leading the district’s English language acquisition and bilingual programs.

Gist predicted that Robles’ experience in Denver will make him a valuable asset to Tulsa.

“Under his leadership, DPS successfully launched a seal of biliteracy and expanded it state-wide to include more than 20 languages,” Gist said. “He also managed district-wide operations for summer learning including oversight of transportation, child nutrition, and facilities. During his tenure at DPS, Jorge’s team achieved the district’s highest growth in district office service satisfaction from school principals.”

Robles said he is looking forward to his work in Tulsa schools, citing his own educational and family background as the reason for his professional success.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to join the Operations team in Tulsa Public Schools,” Robles said. “My drive and passion for this work has been shaped by my roots, the experiences growing up and the opportunities that I have had along the way.”

“I was born in Santiago, Chile, a member of an amazing and very large family,” Robles explained. “I grew up during the times when Chile was under a military dictatorship, where I experienced no civil rights or social justice, and where public education was almost non-existent. Those experiences shaped my commitment to creating equitable opportunities for all students. I first came to the US at the age of 16 to pursue a better education, and it has been my home since then, where I have been blessed with great educational and career opportunities.”

Gist said that Before moving into public education, Robles spent 15 years in the private sector working in financial services, marketing, business development, and client relations. He holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BS in agriculture engineering from Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile.

“My family and I are very excited to make Tulsa our home, and I look forward to working with you on making a difference for our students in Tulsa Public Schools,” Robles said. (La Semana)