Dr. Balderas began his life as the child of migrant farm workers in Eastern Oregon and developed his love of learning and passion for education in Oregon Public Schools, from kindergarten through his doctoral degree in educational leadership at the University of Oregon

During his 33 year tenure as an educator, he has closed both achievement and opportunity gaps for all students by infusing articulated systems to improve outcomes and by using data to help inform all decision making in the school system. He has worked diligently to diversify the workforce to be more reflective of the students each system has served.

His career highlights include being named national AASA Superintendent of Year, the Oregon Superintendent of the Year, National Association for Bilingual Education Superintendent of the Year, the Oregon Latino Educator of the Year, and receiving the ALAS Equity Leader Award, and the ERDI Mike Kneale Excellence in Leadership Award.