Hello, my name is Antonio Hernandez, Jr. but please call me Tony. If you're reading this, then you are considering the possibility of working together. Are you feeling stuck in life either personally or professionally? Are you looking for ways to bring new insights to concerns or issues that continue coming back into your life or with people you work with? I can provide creative tools and approaches that help you claim your distinction and embrace the value you bring to your community. I love holding space for individuals and groups where you can engage in dialogue and introspection that allows you to shift perspective and take action. If you are curious to know a little bit more about my background, please read on!
I was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. My parents moved to the area from Puerto Rico and actually met at the annual Puerto Rican Cultural Festival and Parade in 1970. With that said, culturally, I consider myself lancoriqueño. ( My own made up word blending my Lancaster experience and Puerto Rican experience). My parents Elia Pabòn and Antonio Hernàndez exchanged vows on August 18, 1973. I was born on December 9, 1974 as the first of three sons. Since my parents only completed an elementary level of education, they both instilled in my brothers and me the importance of having a better life through pursuing higher education.
I was the first in my family to graduate from J. P. McCaskey High School in 1992. I gained early admissions to Millersville University as an Elementary Education major. Two years into the Elementary Education program, I decided to dual major in Elementary Education and Early Childhood with a concentration in Urban Education. I graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary and Early childhood Education. I gained employment as the first male Kindergarten teacher in the School District of Lancaster and worked for the district for eleven years. For the last eight years, I have been working as a Lower School Faculty member at Lancaster Country Day School teaching Kindergarten, Pre-Kindergarten and Second Grade. I obtained a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Human Development from George Washington University in 2012.
Besides teaching, I also have a passion in the area of professional facilitation. Three years ago, I attended training at the National School Reform Faculty in Bloomington, Indiana to become a trained Critical Friends Group (CFG) Facilitator. CFG facilitation is a method utilized in which a small group of educators gather together to reflect on their work and teacher practice to improve student learning. For the last ten years, I have also taken continued professional development in the Responsive Classroom Approach.
Besides being an educator, looking at community engagement through the lenses of equity and social justice is another area I am passionate about. More specifically how equity and social justice are addressed at the governance level on boards right here in the heart of Lancaster County. I serve as Co-chair for the Resurrection Catholic School Board in Lancaster city. I am a grant reviewer for the Lancaster County Community Foundation. I am a Commissioner for Millersville University President’s Commission for Cultural Diversity and Inclusion. I am a Leadership Facilitator for the Latino Empowerment Project. I am a board member for the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania. And also a board member for Leadership Lancaster.
On a personal note, my wife Linda and I have been married for fourteen years. Linda is an Art teacher in the School District of Lancaster. We have two daughters. Elena is thirteen years old and is entering eighth grade at Resurrection Catholic School (RCS). Sara is nine years old and is entering fourth grade at RCS. We also have a foster son named Josh. We adopted him at the age of 16. Josh is 26 years old now. He recently married and him and his wife are adjusting to parenting five month old twin boys. We have also hosted foreign exchange students from Egypt, Morocco, and Israel. When I have downtime, I enjoy an eclectic group of hobbies. I like to watch documentaries. I try to attend Zumba classes. I am an avid reader too. And since March, I've been practicing yoga and working towards attaining my 200 hour yoga instructor certification.