GGUSD Superintendent Receives Top Award for Supporting Success of ALL Students

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) Superintendent Gabriela Mafi was selected by the California Association for Latino Superintendents (CALSA) for the Superintendent of the Year award for her commitment to equity and excellence and the transformative impact it has had on GGUSD communities.

“Dr. Mafi’s leadership embodies the very spirit of CALSA’s mission - to uplift, inspire, and propel the next generation of Latino/a/x/e leaders forward,” said Orange County CALSA President Dr. Sonia Llamas. “Through her deep commitment to educational excellence, equity, and opportunity, she has opened pathways not only for students, but for leaders across our state. Her visionary work, including the creation of the Latinos Unidos Leadership Conference and student club, has empowered countless youth to see themselves as the future of education, leadership, and change. Her leadership has inspired others and contributed meaningfully to the advancement of Latino/a/x/e educational leaders and the students we serve and uplift.”

Dr. Mafi is serving her 12^th year as superintendent in GGUSD, a highly-diverse district serving approximately 37,800 students residing in primarily high-poverty immigrant communities across seven cities. Dr. Mafi has always viewed the district’s diversity (53% Latino/ 35% Asian) as an asset and has put practices in place that equip all students with the academic and personal skills for lifelong success.

Under Dr. Mafi’s leadership and with her keen focus on strategic planning and coherence, GGUSD has removed barriers to learning for students of all backgrounds, closed the opportunity gap among subgroups, and developed a record of academic excellence. GGUSD students outperform the state and county average on state test scores, Advanced Placement success, graduation rates and a-g college readiness rates.

“This award is a testament to Dr. Mafi’s unwavering student-centered leadership that has created meaningful reforms, uplifting students of all backgrounds – both academically and personally,” said Board of Education Trustee Teri Rocco. “She is guided by a genuine love for students and an unshakeable belief in every student’s potential as evidence by her personal mentorship of students from high-poverty schools in which she walks alongside students offering guidance and support from sixth grade to graduation and beyond.”

Her impressive work also includes the creation of a districtwide Latinos Unidos Student Club with an annual Leadership Conference that empowers students with resources and a sense of belonging. At Dr. Mafi and the Board’s urging, GGUSD has prioritized publicly celebrating diversity through participation in communitywide Tet and Fiestas Patrias parades and the launch of social media campaigns that highlight the heritage of GGUSD students and staff.

In recent months, Dr. Mafi has spearheaded a Safe and Welcoming Schools campaign, aligned to Board Resolution 20, that ensures students and families of all immigration statuses are safe and welcome at school. She has led the charge to ensure students and families know their rights and have the resources to protect their undocumented loved ones. Through district webinars, regular workshop at GGUSD’s five Family Resource Centers, and half-day trainings through the district’s Parent Leadership Academy, GGUSD is leading the way to ensure families feel supported and have a safe place to turn for help.

Dr. Mafi will be honored at the OC CALSA Spring Celebration on May 14.