Two candidates, incumbent Maya Donnelly and challenger Sonia Sanchez, are on the ballot in the July 21 primary election to be the Democratic party nominee for Santa Cruz County School Superintendent. The superintendent’s office serves as the fiscal agent for all of the county’s school districts.
Both of the candidates responded to an email questionnaire from the PRT regarding their candidacy.
Maya M. Donnelly
Place of Residence: Nogales.
Education: Bachelor’s in Bilingual Education, K-8 and Adult Education
Recent employment: Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office: 2016-2026; Nogales Unified School District #1: 1993-2016.
Community organizations/activities: Member of Nogales Woman’s Club. Volunteer for Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County. The Superintendent’s Office is a community convener. I support and participate in all community events & activities.
Previous public office/service: Chief Deputy, February 2024 – July 2025. Appointed Superintendent July 3, 2025 – present.
What qualifies you to serve as county school superintendent?
I am a career educator. I was a classroom teacher for 20 years in Nogales Unified School District. I have worked in the Superintendent’s Office for the last 10 years as a Grant Programs Director, Chief Deputy, and as acting Superintendent. I have learned every responsibility of the office, from the statutory requirements to the education service agency commitments. I am honest, hard-working and committed to quality education for all students, positive support for educators, and transparent fiscal management of public funds.
What are your top priorities (no more than 3) if elected to the position?
- Seamless transition into the role. Managing a well-trained staff, meeting all legal commitments of the office, and providing quality education services to the community. This would look like a satisfied school district business manager because their payroll and deposits were handled correctly and swiftly, or a district superintendent who can confidently call me and rely on my knowledge and fairness when it comes to governing board elections.
- Grow office initiatives with additional grant funding. These include: early childhood, arts, wellness & prevention, college & career readiness and workforce development. Success will look like new grant awards and sustained programs in schools, new partners, and compliant data and budget reports.
- Foster community trust and strengthen relationships with school leaders and education stakeholders. It is the job of the Superintendent to convene partners that prioritize our community’s needs and challenges like improved attendance, and teacher retention.
What are the biggest challenges faced by school districts in Santa Cruz County, and what steps can you take in this position to address those challenges?
The biggest challenges faced by schools are teacher retention and chronic absenteeism. Recruiting highly qualified educators is a problem nationwide. As Superintendent, I can advocate for better pay with our state leaders, provide teachers with quality professional development free of charge, and mental wellness supports. I am currently working with district superintendents and the county attorney’s office to update the county truancy program that would assist families and foster the importance of attending school every day.
What can you do to improve student outcomes in the county?
It is the job of the County School Superintendent to work with school leaders in identifying needs, weaknesses and strengths of our school communities and students. This is important for all learners whether they attend public, private, charter or homeschooled. Grant funding can be sought to implement programs in schools that address these needs and enrich learning. Supplemental monies for educators to purchase additional materials or curriculum can improve student outcomes.
As county superintendent, what can you do to impact lack of community involvement in local school boards?
As County School Superintendent, I would implement three strategies to positively impact involvement in school boards:
- Actively recruit new members in existing community groups like Parent groups, Rotary, Woman’s Club, and retired educators.
- Provide a clear job description that outlines all duties and expectations of a school board member and provide training/mentorship from experienced board members. Outline election procedures and requirements in a clear and concise way.
- Work with district governing boards to invite potential members to participate in a series of meetings as a guest in order to experience the setting and typical responsibilities before making a commitment.
Sonia Sanchez
Place of Residence: Nogales
Education:
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Arizona
- Master of Science in Psychology (Health Science Emphasis), Grand Canyon University
Recent Employment:
- IB Psychology Teacher, Nogales High School
- Adjunct Psychology Instructor, Pima Community College
- Former Lead GEAR UP Success Coach, Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office
- Former Family Support and Prevention Specialist, Circles of Peace
Community Organizations/Activities: Throughout my career, I have been actively involved in programs that support students, families, and educators across Santa Cruz County. I worked with families through the Strengthening Families Program, helping parents and youth build stronger communication skills, positive family relationships, and healthy decision-making. I coordinated college and career readiness initiatives, FAFSA completion events, parent education workshops, youth leadership programs, and community partnerships. In addition, I created a multi-sector community coalition representing schools, law enforcement, healthcare, businesses, faith-based organizations, youth, parents, and other community sectors that secured and supported the federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Grant. This collaborative work focused on preventing youth substance use and strengthening protective factors throughout our community.
Previous Public Office/Service: Although I have not held elected public office, I have dedicated my career to public service through education. My work in public schools, higher education, and the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office has allowed me to serve students, families, educators, and school districts throughout the county.
What qualifies you to serve as County School Superintendent?
As someone born and raised in Santa Cruz County, I am deeply rooted in this community and have dedicated my career to serving its students, families, and educators. I have spent more than a decade working in public education, higher education, family engagement, and educational leadership. As an IB Psychology teacher, Adjunct Psychology Instructor at Pima Community College, former Lead GEAR UP Success Coach with the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office, former Family Support and Prevention Specialist at Circles of Peace, and community leader, I understand the challenges our schools face from multiple perspectives.
Throughout my career, I have worked directly with students, supported teachers, partnered with school administrators, and collaborated with families to improve educational opportunities. I facilitated the Strengthening Families Program, helping parents strengthen communication, build positive family relationships, and support student success. I also created a multi-sector community coalition that secured and supported the federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Grant, bringing together schools, law enforcement, healthcare providers, businesses, faith-based organizations, parents, youth, and community leaders to reduce youth substance use and strengthen our community.
As a bilingual educator fluent in English and Spanish, I am able to communicate effectively with the diverse families throughout Santa Cruz County, ensuring that parents and community members have a voice in their children’s education and are active partners in student success.
What are your top priorities (no more than 3) if elected to the position?
- Strengthen support for students by expanding college, career, and workforce readiness opportunities while promoting student well-being and mental health.
- Recruit, retain, and support outstanding educators through professional development, collaboration, and access to resources.
- Build stronger partnerships among schools, families, businesses, and community organizations to improve educational outcomes for every student.
What are the biggest challenges faced by school districts in Santa Cruz County, and what steps can you take in this position to address those challenges?
Our school districts face challenges including teacher recruitment and retention, limited funding, declining enrollment in some areas, student mental health needs, and preparing students for college and the workforce. As County Superintendent, I will work collaboratively with district leaders to identify grant opportunities, share resources across districts, strengthen professional development, support student wellness initiatives and build partnerships with higher education, local businesses, and community organizations. My role will be to bring people together, advocate for the resources our schools need and help districts work together to improve educational opportunities for all students.
What can you do to improve student outcomes in the county?
Improving student outcomes requires collaboration and a focus on the whole child. I will support programs that increase academic achievement, expand dual enrollment and career technical education opportunities, promote attendance, strengthen family engagement and provide resources that support student mental health. By helping districts share successful practices and connecting schools with community partners, we can create more opportunities for students to succeed both in school and beyond graduation.
As County Superintendent, what can you do to impact the lack of community involvement in local school boards?
Community involvement begins with trust, communication and transparency. I will encourage stronger relationships between school districts and the communities they serve by promoting public engagement, supporting outreach efforts and ensuring families understand how they can participate in local decision-making. I also want to encourage students, parents, educators, and community members to become active partners in education through advisory groups, volunteer opportunities and regular community conversations. Strong schools are built when families and communities have a meaningful voice in supporting student success.