Mr. Villano serves as the director of the Center for Public Service and Community Research at the University of Houston-Downtown. His passion for education and practical outcomes for students of all ages has enabled him to work in a variety of educational settings: as a public school teacher, a non-profit leader, an administrator for a county education agency,  a superintendent of youth services for an elected official, a Director of Education for a higher education institution, and a project director for multimillion dollar federal education grants. No matter the role, the common denominator is the same: connecting people and agencies to maximize practical, hands on learning opportunities for students that benefit not only them but the communities they live in.