A University of Arizona educator and scholar, Henao-Muñoz advances bilingual education, student belonging and culturally responsive learning in Southern Arizona.
Jhonatan Henao-Muñoz is a Blacktine educator, linguist, scholar, and community advocate whose work advances bilingual education, student belonging, and educational equity throughout Southern Arizona. At the University of Arizona, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice in the W.A. Franke Honors College, and a UNIV core faculty member as well as the inaugural Assistant Director of Bilingual UNIV 101/301 Curriculum in the Office of General Education.
In these roles, Jhonatan leads efforts in bilingual curriculum development, supports faculty learning, and fosters educational experiences that affirm students’ linguistic and cultural identities. He is the founder and principal investigator of ABC HigherEd—Advocating for Bilingual and Culturally Responsive Higher Education—a campus initiative that strengthens bilingual instruction, expands institutional capacity, and builds more inclusive pathways for students in Arizona’s borderlands.
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His scholarship focuses on bilingual higher education, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, first-generation student success, inclusive Spanish language, and equitable teaching practices. He has presented his work nationally and internationally and has received grants and recognitions supporting bilingualism, linguistic justice, and community-engaged education.
Originally from Colombia, Jhonatan is an immigrant, first-generation college graduate and multilingual educator who brings lived experience, academic expertise, and a deep commitment to service to his leadership. He believes education should not require students to leave parts of themselves behind, but should recognize their languages, cultures, histories, and communities as essential sources of knowledge. As an honoree of 2026 Tucson 40 Under 40 distinction, he expresses his gratitude to mentors, colleagues, faculty, staff and students, who motivated him, engaged and get involved with his initiatives; because of them, la comunidad, students can thrive, belong, and contribute fully to their communities, helping shape a more equitable future for Southern Arizona.
