San Diego County
Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Ciriza was appointed as San Diego County superintendent of schools in July 2024. She previously served as the assistant superintendent of Student Services and Programs at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), which includes the Juvenile Court and Community Schools, Special Education, Student Support, Student Wellness and School Culture, Whole Child and Community Design, and Outdoor Education departments. She joined SDCOE in March 2021 and has been instrumental in advancing SDCOE’s North Star goal to reduce poverty through public education. The organization is committed to making sure every child feels a sense of belonging in our schools and removing barriers that prevent students from thriving.

Dr. Ciriza began her career as a substitute teacher in the National School District, then taught 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th grades in the San Diego and Poway unified school districts. She later served as an associate principal in the Poway Unified and Chula Vista Elementary School Districts (CVESD). During her tenure as principal, Heritage Elementary School became the highest performing of 47 schools in CVESD.

She continued her career at CVESD as director of human resources; executive director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and assistant superintendent of instruction. Dr. Ciriza’s instructional leadership work resulted in CVESD being recognized by the Learning Policy Institute for outperforming county and state averages in academic achievement for under-represented student groups such as English learners, African American, and socio-economically disadvantaged students.

As a socially conscious leader, Dr. Ciriza empowers employees to lead from the heart and develop meaningful, authentic relationships to ensure all students have access to high-quality education facilitated by compassionate adults in the classroom and in the community. Her collaborative approach led the Association of California School Administrators to name Dr. Ciriza as their 2018 Administrator of the Year: Curriculum and Instruction; the California Association of Bilingual Educators also named her as Administrator of the Year in 2010.

Dr. Ciriza holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Slippery Rock University; a master’s degree in education administration from National University; and a doctorate in educational leadership from San Diego State University. She is a member of the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, and Association of California School Administrators.