The Woodland Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees has approved the hiring of a new Associate Superintendent of Educational Services. Dr. Altagracia “Gracie” Guerrero, a long-time education leader with a proven track record of supporting students, educators, and school communities, will begin her new role in August.

Her appointment was approved at the Board’s May 22 meeting.

Dr. Guerrero brings more than 30 years of experience in public education, having served in a wide variety of instructional and leadership roles across California and Texas. Most recently, she served as Associate Superintendent in Fort Worth Independent School District, where she oversaw leadership and learning across 48 schools and designed districtwide programming for more than 35,000 emergent bilingual students. She has also served as Superintendent of Parlier Unified School District in California and held executive leadership positions in West Contra Costa Unified School District and Houston Independent School District.

“I believe in people and the power of public education to change lives because it changed mine,” said Guerrero. “As a former English learner, I know what it means to be seen, supported, and challenged, and carry with me the lived experience of navigating school with hope and grit. That journey fuels my commitment to equity and to building systems where every student, no matter their background, has access to excellent instruction. I’ve had the privilege of supporting individuals who do this work daily, and I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and partner with staff and the Woodland community to make sure every student gets the quality education they deserve.”

Dr. Guerrero, who is fluent in English and Spanish, earned her Doctorate in Professional Leadership from the University of Houston. She holds a master’s degree in school administration from Sam Houston State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston. She also studied Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at Harvard University.

Superintendent Elodia Ortega-Lampkin welcomed Dr. Guerrero to the District’s leadership team.

“Dr. Guerrero brings a depth of experience and a strong commitment to equity and excellence for all students,” said Ortega-Lampkin. “We are excited to welcome her to Woodland and look forward to the work ahead as we continue striving to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.”