Mara Madrigal-Weiss, the executive director of student wellness and school culture at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), has been named chair of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for a third consecutive year, starting in January 2024. This makes her the longest serving Latina chair in the commission’s 20-year history. In addition to her role as chair, she also serves as 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.

Madrigal-Weiss’s commitment to student mental health has been recognized with the first Wellness Together Mental Health Innovator Award earlier this fall. She leads a team at SDCOE that 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.