Maria Leon-Vasquez
Community Advocate and Education Leader
Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Maria has lived in Santa Monica since 1959. She is an experienced school board member wose leadership was the driver to continue SMMUSD’s strategic shift to a 21st century education guaranteeing that all our graduates are college and career ready, culturally and socially conscious, multi-lingual communicators, global citizens, and life-long learners. Her accomplisments over the year have included increasing AP participation to 68%, supporting the district's world-renown visual and performing arts programs, passing parcel taxes to support operating costs and bond measures to upgrade aging schools, tech and safety, and adopting a parent engagement framework.
Maria is a graduate of SMC and holds a BA from UCSD and a JD from the Hastings College of Law. Prior to joining SMC as a project manager overseeing career technical education grants, Maria practiced law and worked in a housing nonprofit. Her adult children are SMMUSD graduates and she's thrilled that she is also now a SMMUSD grandparent!
