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Maria F. Vazquez, Ed.D.

 

Maria F. VazquezAs the daughter of immigrants, Dr. Maria Vazquez understands the power education has to transform lives. Her parents fled Cuba, leaving everything they owned behind to provide a better life for their family. They instilled in her that education was the most valuable currency she had and she could not squander it. A first-generation American, Dr. Vazquez traces her passion for education back to the talented, dedicated teachers who changed her own life. Through the work of caring adults, school was a safe place where Dr. Vazquez thrived; she succeeded despite her language barrier. It is because of those experiences that she has made it her life’s work to create learning environments where students feel, supported and successful.

As a teacher, principal, and administrator, Dr. Maria Vazquez has dedicated her career to ensuring every student has a pathway to success. As Deputy Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) and prior to the pandemic, Dr. Vazquez has helped lead one of Florida’s largest and most diverse school districts to an “A” rating with a nearly universal (96%) graduation rate and has narrowed the achievement gap for Black and Hispanic students.

Dr. Vazquez has served at every level of the education system and has extensive expertise in curriculum and instruction. After beginning her career as an elementary school classroom teacher and resource teacher in reading and language arts, Dr. Vazquez served as an assistant principal and principal in OCPS. She served the district across multiple roles including area superintendent and chief academic officer before being promoted to deputy superintendent in 2018 and now Superintendent of the 8th largest school district in the country. During her tenure at OCPS, Dr. Vazquez has developed a proven track record of leadership for educational equity. She has expanded access to advanced coursework for historically underserved students, recruited great teachers to the most vulnerable schools, and reprioritized the district’s budget to support teaching and learning.

An active community member, Dr. Vazquez currently serves on several boards including, Orlando Economic Partnership, City Year of Orlando, The American Heart Association, CareerSource Central Florida and United Arts of Central Florida. She is also a member of the prestigious Chiefs for Change.

Dr. Vazquez has been married for 35 years to her husband Ulysses Vazquez. They have 3 children, Elizabeth, Stephanie and Robert as well three beautiful grandsons, Wyatt, Henry and Theodore. Her greatest joy is spending time with her family.

Contact Information

Dr. Maria F. Vazquez
445 W. Amelia Street
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407-317-3200
Email: [email protected]
External link to the official OCPS Facebook page.  External link to Dr. Vazquez's Official Twitter page  External link to the Official OCPS Instagram page  External link to the Official OCPS YouTube page