Myra Jean Pérez-Navarro is a dedicated educator and lifelong learner currently serving as Associate Professor and Criminal Justice Program Coordinator at San Antonio College (SAC). Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, Myra began her educational journey as a first-generation college student at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Public Justice (1995) and a Juris Doctor (JD) from St. Mary’s University School of Law (2001). Committed to continuous growth, she earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) from Purdue University Global (2011) and a Master of Science in Management (MSM) from the same institution (2016).

Myra began her teaching career in 2001 at South Texas College, initially instructing Business Law and later expanding into Paralegal Studies and Criminal Justice. Before entering academia, Myra gained extensive hands-on experience in criminal justice and human services, working as a Juvenile Probation Officer with the Hidalgo County Juvenile Probation Department and a Human Services Case Worker with the Texas Department of Human Services. Additionally, she served as Executive Director of The Valley Land Fund, a nonprofit land trust dedicated to wildlife conservation in South Texas, further demonstrating her commitment to community service and environmental stewardship.

Myra has been actively teaching online legal studies courses with Purdue University Global for over 17 years, emphasizing practical knowledge and real-world applications. At SAC, she effectively engages diverse student populations through various modalities, including face-to-face and online learning environments. Demonstrating her dedication to interdisciplinary teaching, Myra recently enrolled at Texas State Technical College (TSTC) to pursue an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Chemical Dependency Counseling (LCDC). She looks forward to her externship, viewing it as another opportunity to integrate substance abuse counseling within the criminal justice discipline and to further contribute meaningfully to her community.