See the whole system
Strategy, structure, people, and execution are treated as connected—not separate workstreams.
About Oscar Romano
An operator’s perspective. An advisor’s objectivity.
Oscar brings more than 15 years of leadership experience—and a deeply personal belief in what capable, supported leaders can make possible.
Experience at a glance
- 15+
- Years leading and advising
- 100
- People in an organization led
- Harvard · Johns Hopkins
- B.A. and M.S. in Organizational Leadership
Leadership advice grounded in operating reality.
Oscar is an executive operator, organizational strategist, and leadership advisor who has spent his career helping people and organizations perform at a higher level.
He knows what it is like to struggle as a leader, get slowed down by failure, and experience the exhilaration that comes when a team finds its rhythm. That is why developing others has remained a constant across every chapter of his career.
Most recently, Oscar served as COO of a national e-commerce company, leading the operating work behind growth and organizational evolution. Earlier, he led a 100-person school organization and held roles spanning strategy, operations, talent, and leadership development.
That breadth shapes his approach today. Strategy only matters when people can execute it. Structure only works when decision rights are clear. Leadership only scales when accountability and trust grow together.
“I am at my best—and feel my best—when I’m helping others be their best.”
Formed by experience
From Harvard to the executive table.
Oscar arrived at Harvard as a first-generation college student and graduated with a degree in Social Anthropology. The experience widened his sense of what was possible—and deepened his interest in how identity, culture, and opportunity shape the way people lead.
Born and raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, by parents who immigrated from El Salvador, Oscar grew up watching resourcefulness in action. Their ambition and insistence that he build on what they had created became an early lesson in growth.
That perspective followed him into classrooms and school leadership in Houston, through entrepreneurship, and ultimately into the executive suite. It also informs how he works: see potential clearly, build the systems that support it, and never separate performance from the people responsible for creating it.
Outside of work, Oscar is an avid reader and writer, a half-marathon runner who has completed several marathons, and a curious traveler who has lived abroad in Spain and Australia.
The path here
Different settings. One consistent thread.
Helping people build the clarity, confidence, and systems required to do consequential work well.
- 01
Education
Began as a Teach For America corps member and science teacher before becoming a dean, school leader, and principal.
- 02
Entrepreneurship
Moved from education into startup work, learning to build in environments where resources were limited and every decision mattered.
- 03
Executive operations
Served as COO of a national e-commerce company, connecting strategy, people, systems, and day-to-day execution.
- 04
Romano Growth
Now advises founders, executives, and leadership teams through the complex work of building organizations that perform.
How Oscar works
Make the hard things discussable
Candid questions surface the real constraints while preserving trust and forward momentum.
Leave capability behind
The goal is not dependence on an advisor. It is a stronger organization and more capable leaders.
Selected credentials
Education, recognition, and leadership development.
- Harvard University, B.A.
- Johns Hopkins University, M.S. in Organizational Leadership
- Leading Excellence Insight & Aspire Fellowships, YES Prep Public Schools
- UnidosUS National Institute for Latino School Leaders Fellowship
- 2019 AASA Educational Administration Award
- 2020 Teach For America–Houston Champion for Education Honoree
Ready for more reliable execution?