Joseph M. Cardenas

Joe Cardenas begins his sixteenth year at The Heights and his seventh year heading the Advisory Program.  A native of San Sebastian, Spain, Mr. Cardenas teaches the Spanish Language and Spanish Literature Advanced Placement classes, in addition to the Advanced Placement Art History course.  Since coming to The Heights in 1994, he has created cultural, philanthropic, and service opportunities abroad for the students, such as trips to Spain, and tutoring and building houses for the very poor in Mexico.  Mr. Cardenas completed his undergraduate work at the University of California-Berkeley, where he earned a degree in American history; he recently received his M.A. in Private School Management from Columbia University, Teachers College.  He taught at The Head-Royce School, an independent school in California, and at inner-city programs in Chicago and the Bronx before joining The Heights’ faculty.