Meet our leadership team

With more than 17 years of experience in the educational field, Lorena Cruz has devoted her career to the holistic development of children, combining her passion for teaching with a strong academic background. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Preschool Education, a Master’s Degree in Psychopedagogy from the International University of La Rioja, as well as Diplomas in Psychoeducational Care and Innovation, and Well-being and Research.

Her career at ITJ began in August 2008 at ITJ Palomar, where she worked as a K2 Homeroom Teacher. In 2014, she joined ITJ Valle Real as Kindergarten Principal, and in 2019, she became Deputy Director. In 2024, she arrived at ITJ Zona Esmeralda, where she currently serves as General Director, contributing her experience, dedication, and warmth to our educational community.

Beyond her professional work, Lorena is the proud mother of four children and enjoys spending quality time with her family. Two of her children are part of the ITJ Zona Esmeralda community in Elementary School, allowing her to live the educational experience both as a mother and as an educator.

Passionate about child development, Lorena deeply understands the importance of providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for children, as well as the value of building a close relationship with families. Her empathy and commitment make her a key ally for parents in their children’s educational journey.

With a 29-year career in education, our Kindergarten Director is an alumna of Thomas Jefferson High School, where she taught from Kindergarten through High School. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Special Education and a Master's degree in Education, as well as a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from the University of Alabama and a Diploma in TESOL.
Her journey at ITJ Zona Esmeralda began in 1998 as a Kindergarten 3 Miss. She later joined the Research and Development Department and, in 2012, took over the Kindergarten Coordination. Two years later, in 2014, she was appointed Kindergarten Director, a position she carries out with passion and commitment.
Married for 25 years, she is the mother of two children, one of them a former ITJ ZE graduate and the other a current student. She greatly enjoys her time with children, listening to their ideas and learning from them every day. She considers working with parents to be an enriching experience, strengthening the educational community.
In her free time, she loves reading, watching series, and playing board games with her family. She is also an animal lover and for three years she has lovingly cared for her two dogs, who have become a fundamental part of her life.

With 15 years’ experience in primary education, Harman Virk is a passionate leader in early childhood learning and development. He graduated in Journalism with Psychology from Kingston University and completed his QTS Graduate Teacher Programme at the University of Gloucestershire.
He began his career in July 2009 at Fullwood Primary School, where he worked as a Learning Support Assistant, providing emotional and educational support to children with special needs. In 2013, he served as a primary teacher and Numeracy coordinator at Cranbrook Primary School in the United Kingdom. Later, in 2014, he moved to Mexico to take on the leadership role in mathematics at The Edron Academy. In 2021, he continued his career at St. Andrews International School in Bangkok, teaching in a multicultural environment.
In January 2024, he joined the ITJ Zona Esmeralda family as Primary Director, bringing his experience and commitment to excellent education.
Harman is a father of a young child who is part of our community at Pre-First, allowing him to experience education from both a parent and teacher perspective. Passionate about football, music, travel and learning new languages, he enjoys motivating others and being part of successful and productive teams. His approach always puts the needs of children first, ensuring a positive, inclusive, and enriching educational environment.

Omar Álvarez is the Director of Middle & High School at ITJ, with more than 19 years of experience as both a teacher and principal in secondary and high school.

He holds a Master’s in Educational Intervention from Universidad Intercontinental, a Postgraduate degree in Education from the University of Buckingham, and a Master’s in Management of Educational Institutions from his alma mater, Tecnológico de Monterrey.

Passionate about technology, Omar constantly seeks innovative ways to enrich teaching and learning. Outside of school, he enjoys climbing and spending quality time with his family.