Carmelita Reyes, PhD

Carmelita has spent more than 2 decades in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) as a teacher, principal, and central office administrator.

Before moving to Oakland, Carmelita taught history in the Washington Heights neighborhood in NYC to a mainly Dominican immigrant population. In OUSD, Carmelita was a founding Humanities teacher of Life Academy High School; it was an experience that taught her more about school design and meeting the needs of kids than any master’s program. In 2007, OUSD offered her a unique opportunity to found and lead Oakland International High School, a school that has served as a model inside and outside of Oakland for newcomer students.  After serving at the principal for 12 years, Carmelita moved into OUSD’s central office as the Senior Director of Operations where she supported budget, pandemic food relief, and Nutrition Services. Carmelita received a BA in Economics from Princeton University, a Master's in education from Columbia University, and a Doctorate from UC Davis.