Mara Madrigal-Weiss, executive director of student wellness and school culture for the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), has been named as the chair of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for a third consecutive year. This marks her as the longest serving Latina chair in the commission’s 20-year history. She has been serving as the designee of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction on the commission since 2017.

In addition to her role as chair, Madrigal-Weiss also holds several other positions on the commission. She is the chair of the Prevention and Early Intervention Subcommittee, vice chair of the Workplace Mental Health Committee, and previously served as commission vice chair after being elected in 2019.

Recognizing her innovation and commitment to student mental health, Madrigal-Weiss was awarded with the first Wellness Together Mental Health Innovator Award earlier this fall. Her team at SDCOE maintains a virtual wellness center and compiles mental health support resources for students, families, and schools. She regularly contributes to SDCOE’s resource guide library, including guides for educators, resources for the holidays, and how to facilitate dialogue with compassion.

Madrigal-Weiss has been dedicated to keeping health and wellness top of mind in her role at SDCOE. She is committed to ensuring that all students have access to mental health services and support when they need it.