Maite Iturri to lead Cotati-Rohnert Park school district

El Verano resident Maite Iturri has been hired as the superintendent of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District (CRPUSD), effective Friday, Sept. 1.

Her appointment was approved at the district’s board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15. Iturri will replace Mayra Perez, who announced in the spring that she will retire on Oct. 31.

Iturri’s contract is for three years at a salary of $230,000.

“Maite is a collaborative leader with many years of instructional and executive experience,” said board President Michelle Wing in an announcement on the school district’s website. “She has strong success in working together with staff, families and students to ensure high academic achievement for all students. Community is important to Ms. Iturri, and she engages with all stakeholders through outreach, communication and active listening.

“The entire board is looking forward to working with Maite to continue building on the strong foundation and carry of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District position of believing in all students and achieving excellence by nurturing a love of learning.”

Iturri said that she is looking forward to serving in the role.

“I am very excited about joining the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District and thankful for the deep commitment from both staff and community in supporting the excellent programming in our district,” she said in the announcement. “I look forward to meeting with students, educators and families to learn about what makes CRPUSD such a special place for students to grow and learn.”

The Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, which consists of 6,100 students, has three high schools, two middle schools, six elementary schools and one transitional kindergarten through eighth grade school. It is the third largest in the county.

Iturri has been serving Petaluma City Schools since 2021, first as the K-12 academic coordinator and then as assistant superintendent of student services and Title IX coordinator for students.

“I loved my work in Petaluma City Schools,” she said. “Being a superintendent has been a long-term goal of mine and I am very fortunate to have achieved it in Rohnert Park.”

She began her career as a bilingual teacher at Altimira Middle School and Flowery Elementary School in Sonoma Valley Unified School District from 1997 to 2001. She was an academic coordinator at Flowery and El Verano elementary schools from 2001 to 2005 and principal of El Verano from 2006 to 2021.

During her career in education, Iturri has successfully led school and district programming, including implementing a community school and building strong networks with parent and community members to support student success.

She also has been a community activist in Sonoma Valley, serving in several leadership roles, including co-founder of Food for All/Comida para Todos, a nonprofit organization in The Springs that provides food and basic supplies to those in need. She is also chair of the Springs Municipal Advisory Council.

Iturri has won several awards for her work and service, including the Spirit of Sonoma County Award for the First District, given to her by the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women in March 2023.

Iturri was raised in San Francisco in a bicultural and bilingual home.

She received an undergraduate degree in Mexican American studies, a teaching credential and a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Sonoma State University. Iturri then began working toward a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from the University of California, Davis. She is finishing her doctorate work at San Francisco State University and plans to receive her degree within a year.

Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.