Tell us about your job - what does a typical day look like? 

As Director of Communications, my days can look relatively different from each other, and that’s one of the things I love about this work. A day might start with shaping messaging around a new initiative, then collaborating with another department on communications-related projects, and then visiting a school to capture student or teacher stories, coordinating with partners on a major project, preparing content for a board meeting, or leading a committee.

I constantly move between strategic communications planning and hands-on storytelling. One hour, I’m refining language for a district-wide initiative, and the next, I’m behind a camera interviewing students or reviewing edits to a video. I also work closely with the Superintendent, leadership team, principals, families, and community partners to ensure our work stays aligned, transparent, and rooted in student-centered values.

What do you like most about what you do? 

The best part of my work is elevating the student and family voice. Growing up, my household was not connected to our school community, and I have seen how powerful it is when school systems make an effort to connect and listen to their communities. Creating spaces where students can lead, where families feel valued, and where our communications reflect the stories of those we serve is deeply meaningful to me.

What do you find most challenging about what you do? 

The biggest challenge is the pace and complexity of today’s educational landscape. With changes happening constantly and our community highly engaged, we must be proactive, detailed, and responsive at all times. Finding a balance between all of this has been a struggle, and knowing the immediate needs requires constant prioritization of projects and collaboration across departments and stakeholders.

Tell us about a project you are working on or completed that you are particularly proud of. How did it come about? What impact has it had so far? 

One project I’m especially proud of is our Know Your Rights campaign, which we launched to support families during a particularly confusing and challenging time. As a district with a large immigrant community, this initiative felt deeply personal and directly aligned with our values of Equity and Wellness.

The campaign brought together district leaders, family engagement teams, community schools, principals, and trusted local partners to ensure families had clear, accessible information about their rights, available resources, and how the district supports all students regardless of background or immigration status. We hosted in-person sessions where families could ask questions safely, partnered with legal and community-based organizations, and created multilingual communications to make the information welcoming and easy to understand.

The impact has been profound. Families shared that they felt seen, reassured, and supported by our district during moments of uncertainty. We saw attendance increase from the morning to the evening session, and stronger engagement from newcomer families. This campaign also strengthened trust between the district and the community as we had both of our City’s Police Departments and the County Attorney.

I’m also proud of our broader equity-centered communications work, including Project Career Map, our Community Schools Initiative, the Community Strategic Plan Initiative, and the 2026 Facilities Master Plan update. Each of these projects helps ensure that families understand not only what we’re building, but why, and how it directly benefits the students we serve.

How long have you been in the profession and what was your path to school PR? 

I’m in my fifth year of school PR, but I’ve been rooted in communications for much longer. My journey started in high school through Speech and Debate, continued through college, and deepened during my master’s program, where I focused on media communications. I didn’t originally set out to work in school PR; I just knew I wanted to serve in education and continue meaningful communications work. Once I stepped into this field, I never looked back.

Over time, I discovered a real passion for building systems where families feel seen, supported, and heard, and where students can recognize themselves in the stories we share. School PR gave me the opportunity to blend purpose, impact, and storytelling in a way that aligns deeply with who I am and the communities I care about.

What advice do you have for new PR professionals? 

• Lead with empathy. Behind every email, call, or concern is a person who wants to feel heard.
• Build strong internal partnerships. Communications becomes much easier when you’re integrated into the work early.
• Tell student stories boldly and consistently. They are the most authentic and powerful ambassadors we have.
• Create systems before you need them. Calendars, templates, campaign plans, and message banks save countless hours.
• Stay curious. Being in schools means you’ll never stop learning.

What are you doing to promote IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access)? 

IDEA is at the heart of everything I do. I intentionally design communications to honor the diversity of our families, from bilingual messaging to culturally responsive storytelling, it is crucial to create accessible content across platforms. I ensure student and family voices are central in major initiatives, whether through interviews, field trips, surveys, or advisory groups. The goal should be to ensure our communications reflect and uplift the full diversity of the San Mateo-Foster City School District community.

The San Mateo-Foster City School District serves more than 10,000 students across 21 schools in a diverse, vibrant, and rapidly growing community. Our district is deeply committed to Achievement, Equity, and Wellness, and this vision shows up in everything we do — from expanding community schools and preschool access, to innovative learning pathways, to major modernization efforts funded through Measures X and T. We are a district on the move, with teams who care deeply about student voice, family partnership, and creating learning environments where every child can thrive.