M. René Islas is a retired executive and educational policy leader with nearly three decades of experience in national education policy and non-profit leadership, organizational strategy, and federal and state advocacy. His professional career includes serving as Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Education and Chief of Staff in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the United States Department of Education, Senior Vice President at B&D Consulting (Baker and Daniels LLP),  Founder of the Center for Results at Learning Forward, Executive Director of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Washington, D.C, Chief of Staff at the National Psoriasis Foundation, and Branch Chief for Legislation and Policy at the Department of Defense Education Activity. Islas is the Principal of Crescere Strategies, LLC, which supports nonprofits in maximizing the impact of their mission.

Islas spends his extra time exploring theology, philosophy, political science, sociology, and psychology.  He combines his extensive background in educational leadership with a dedication to orthodox Catholic formation. René volunteers at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA, as a catechist. He specialized in preparing 8th-grade candidates to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation for 6 years. Through his online apostolate, Familiaris Dei, he creates structured resources to help Catholic families build strong domestic churches and foster a deep love for Sacred Scripture and Church Tradition.