Watsonville, CA, March 15, 2024 - The Pajaro Valley Unified School District welcomes Heather Contreras as the Superintendent of Pajaro Valley Unified School District. The Board of Trustees appointed Heather Contreras at the most recent board meeting following a robust search.

Heather Contreras, Ed.D., demonstrated throughout the interview and selection process that she is a dedicated educator with a passion for empowering students through the educational system. Dr. Contreras shared during the interview process “my driving force is to positively impact students and make a difference in their lives through providing students access to the highest quality learning. The dedication to improved outcomes for students continues to be the focus of the work I do every day.”

Contreras, who holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, has been serving in education for 22 years. Her experience includes teaching primary, intermediate and junior high school grades, serving as a site administrator across several school settings, and progressing to district office leadership for the past seven years. Dr. Contreras has spent the last four years as the Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership for Modesto City Schools.With a belief in collaboration and teamwork, Contreras has been instrumental in implementing programs driven by teams who engage in collective ownership, dedication, and innovation of best practices for students.

“The success of any organization is the development of all people in the system - from the classroom to the boardroom,” explains Dr. Conteras. “Strong systems for building leadership capacity and developing leadership in others is paramount to any district's success. I look forward to working collaboratively with the Pajaro Valley team to continue to build a system of success for the community.”

Beyond her role as an educator, Contreras is actively involved in promoting the educational system and building leadership. She has taught at the collegiate level, working to prepare teachers for an administrative credential. She also presents in doctoral programs, helping to promote practices that encourage innovation in education. Contreras is a member of the California Educational Partners Collaborative, which is a network of educators examining and promoting change ideas around student outcomes. Her passion for making a positive difference extends far beyond the walls of the classroom, inspiring those around her to join in her mission of creating a brighter future for all.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Heather Contreras as our new Superintendent,” said Board President, Georgia Acosta. “With her decades of experience in Educational Leadership and her dedication to student empowerment we are confident she will be an Administrator that will guide our District with passion and a sense of purpose. With Dr. Contreras’ diverse background in educating students, assisting teachers, and her development of programs we know she will be able to take on any new task or challenge and complete it successfully with our students’ best interest in mind. We are excited to work with her in ensuring our students success.”

As Heather Contreras begins to learn about PVUSD, she invites you to meet with her across a variety of future opportunities as she engages in a Look, Listen, and Learn journey to understand what is working well in PVUSD, and to engage in discussion about next steps.