Mary Ann McQueen grew up in Seattle, Washington and attended Santa Clara University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in history and, later, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Loyola Marymount University.  Ms. McQueen has extensive experience working in TK-12th grade schools where she has served as a school leader and instructor.  Those schools include Marymount High School, Westwood, St. Mark School in Venice, and Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco. Ms. McQueen has also held many volunteer positions at her sons’ elementary school including chairing the school’s three-day festival and auction as well as the parent association.  These roles have helped deepen Ms. McQueen’s understanding of parent perspectives and how to develop cohesive parent organizations that support the school and that build community.

Serving as an instructional leader, Ms. McQueen has led efforts to improve and innovate school programs, implement comprehensive curricular endeavors, build school enrollment, and revitalize school facilities. All the while, Ms. McQueen has prioritized cultivating a vibrant, student-centered, and growth-focused school culture where members have fun and build meaningful relationships.

Core values include service to others, collaboration, community partnerships, ongoing professional growth, and a deep passion for the outdoors, family, literature, and history.  One of Ms. McQueen’s favorite projects as a school leader involved working with parent volunteers and a parent architect to implement a water reclamation system that resulted in capturing all rainwater year-round.  Part of this project involved partnering with TreePeople to plant 33 trees and shrubs on the school grounds.   

Ms. McQueen currently serves on the school board of two elementary schools and has recently assisted schools in developing sustainability systems to reduce waste and better align those schools with their mission to care for the school environment and support students in becoming more conscious of their role in that process.

Ms. McQueen and her husband, Murray have raised two sons and have lived in the Los Angeles area for many years where they have deep roots and a love of the city, and opportunities to build community over time.