Three unsuspecting educators were surprised in front of colleagues and family members in three school districts this morning with the news that they had been selected as the final 2025 Riverside County Educators of the Year.
Each surprise scenario started differently as Marcus Ridley (Assistant Director, Classified Personnel) from the Riverside Unified School District was participating in a meeting with Personnel Services team members, Norte Vista High School Principal Jason Marquez was one of dozens of Alvord Unified School District principals gathered for a training on his campus, and Maria Lozano (Career Development Facilitator) was asked to check on a few items in the Moreno Valley Unified School District Board Room where colleagues and family members awaited the announcement.
“All of our 2025 Educators of the Year exemplify what it takes to serve the needs of students and families in our public schools,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Ensuring the success of students inside the classroom and on their journey to become healthy, productive citizens in their community requires a team approach. From school counselors and classified staff members to teachers and administrators, we are excited to honor that collaboration and commitment with every surprise visit and award.”
Four previous surprise visits took place last week in Palm Springs Unified School District, Temecula Valley Unified School District, Murrieta Valley Unified School District, and Lake Elsinore Unified School District. All honorees will be recognized at the 2025 Celebrating Educators Luncheon set for May 13, at the Riverside Convention Center.
About Marcus Ridley – 2025 Riverside County Classified Administrator of the Year
As the Assistant Director for Classified Personnel in the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), Marcus Ridley views recruitment as not merely about filling positions, but about hiring individuals who view their work as part of a larger mission to prepare students for the future.
Marcus has led the district to incorporate behavioral-based interview techniques, reaching untapped talent pools through partnerships with the Riverside Adult School and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and promoted internal development and mentorship programs that have led to building a diverse workforce within the district. To address a teacher shortage, he spearheaded a collaborative initiative that has successfully transitioned more than 20 classified employees into teaching positions, with another 30 currently pursuing their credentials.
He describes his work as “creating an environment where all employees feel inspired and empowered to contribute to the district’s mission.” His colleagues describe him as an employee with “meticulous attention to detail, strategic thinking, and a collaborative spirit that makes him a natural fit for personnel work.”
Marcus started working with Riverside Unified School District in 2011 as a Contracts Analyst, and has served as an Assistant Director for Classified Personnel since 2016. He was previously named the district’s classified administrator of the year in 2017. He completed his undergraduate studies with a degree in sociology from Morehouse College and earned a master’s degree in leadership and management from the University of La Verne. He is a resident of Lake Elsinore.
“Marcus embodies the very best qualities of a personnel administrator. He works so hard to have equitable practices that honor people and help classified staff members advance their careers—including many who have become teachers. Your servant heart shines through, not only here at Riverside, but it comes across at the county level,” said Riverside County Office of Education Associate Superintendent of Personnel Services, Dr. Heather Williams, at the surprise visit.
“I want to thank RUSD for taking the chance on me in 2011 and investing in me, even when there were things I didn't see in myself. Thank you for watering that seed and continuing to do so,” said Marcus Ridley immediately following the surprise announcement. “And for the 40,000 students that aren't in this room, thank you for entrusting me to serve.”
About Jason Marquez – 2025 Riverside County Principal of the Year
Jason Marquez admits that he doesn’t see what he does as the principal of Norte Vista High School as anything extraordinary. He believes that his core vision is to show up every day and strive to do what’s best for the students and the communities that he serves.
Through collaborative partnerships with local businesses, universities, and mental health resource providers, Jason has helped lead a transformation of Norte Vista High School into a true community resource—a hub where students and families can find the support and opportunities they need to thrive.
Jason’s impact is seen through a campus culture that celebrates equally for an International Baccalaureate student’s acceptance to Stanford, and for a career technical education student who lands a position with the Carpenter’s Union.
Under his leadership since 2017, Norte Visa High School has also seen significant improvements in its graduation rate, a decrease in suspension rates, and a positive shift in school climate and student behavior. Colleagues shared how Jason “stood tall as a pillar of strength when it was needed most” after the school went through the challenge of the passing of a student and a staff member.
Jason graduated from University of California, Irvine, with a degree in social science, and earned his master’s in education through California State University, San Bernardino. He is a resident of Perris.
“Jason has been an incredible principal here at Norte Vista, and he's done phenomenal things, like leading this through school COVID, which was a difficult time for all of us in education. We appreciate your leadership, compassion for the work, and servant heart towards students,” said Riverside County Office of Education Associate Superintendent of Personnel Services, Dr. Heather Williams, at the surprise visit.
“I don’t even know what to say. I'm happy because this brings more recognition to Norte Vista,” said Jason Marquez immediately after the surprise visit. “If we could go back in time to when we started here, you wouldn't even recognize this place with the graffiti and trash—it was just a different world. And it took a lot of hard work with a lot of the people here in this room to make this the best high school in the world. So thank you, I appreciate it.”
About Maria Lozano – 2025 Riverside County School Classified Employee of the Year
In 2014, Moreno Valley Unified School District Career Development Facilitator, Maria Lozano, was tasked with developing a paid summer internship program for high school students in the district. Ten years later, Maria’s efforts have led directly to the successful placement of 1,413 students in 178 businesses in the community—including 13 students who have been hired as permanent employees after the completion of their summer program.
Maria’s regular responsibilities include writing and monitoring grant funding for eight different grants that support 28 career technical education (CTE) pathways, collaborating with teachers and administrators to offer appealing and relevant learning experiences for CTE students, and working with colleges, universities, and local businesses to offer internship and career experiences.
Now in her 30th year of education, Maria counts the ability to guide thousands of students toward informed career choices as one of her most significant accomplishments. Her colleagues describe her as “consistently demonstrating exceptional dedication, creativity, and a profound commitment to student success.”
She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and a master’s degree with a double concentration in human resources, and leadership and development. Maria is a resident of Moreno Valley.
“Maria has served for the past 19 years here at Moreno Valley Unified School District and does amazing work with our students in preparing them to enter into careers after graduating from high school,” said Riverside County Office of Education Associate Superintendent of Personnel Services, Dr. Heather Williams, at the surprise visit. “You probably will never know the extent of your impact on these students by setting them up for their future, but you are making a huge difference in the lives all of our students and we appreciate you so much.”
“It's been an amazing 19 years here at the district. I have put through so many kids to work and listened to their stories and some of them have been so sad, but I have been happy to be able to change their course of life,” said Maria Lozano immediately following the surprise announcement. “Everything I do is based on what is going to be best for the kids. I always think ‘What am I doing for the students?’ because, ultimately, that is our job here. If it wasn't for the students, I wouldn't be here.”
The full list of categories and honorees for the 2025 Riverside County Educators of the Year:
· Riverside County Confidential Employee of the Year
Erika Barragan, Executive Assistant
Palm Springs Unified School District
· Riverside County School Counselor of the Year
Felipe Zanartu, Elementary School Counselor, Cole Canyon Elementary School
Murrieta Valley Unified School District
· Riverside County Certificated Administrator of the Year
Dr. Kimberly Velez, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Support Services
Temecula Valley Unified School District
· Riverside County Site Support Employee of the Year
Jennifer Camargo, Social-Emotional Learning Support Provider
Lake Elsinore Unified School District
· Riverside County Classified Administrator of the Year
Marcus Ridley, Assistant Director, Classified Personnel
Riverside Unified School District
· Riverside County Principal of the Year
Jason Marquez, Principal, Norte Vista High School
Alvord Unified School District
· Riverside County Classified Employee of the Year
Maria Lozano, Career Development Facilitator
Moreno Valley Unified School District
The Riverside County Educators of the Year are selected from the more than 36,000 educational employees in the county. The rigorous application process starts with nominations by teachers, classified employees, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where an outside selection committee selects the honorees before the county superintendent's announcement.
Along with the 2025 Riverside County Teachers of the Year named previously, all 2025 Riverside County Educators of the Year will be honored at the Celebrating Educators Luncheon, set for Tuesday, May 13, at the Riverside Convention Center.
Clarification: The 2025 Riverside County Teachers of the Year were named in mid-2024 to align with the 2025 California State Teacher of the Year competition. The 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May/June of 2025 and will vie for the 2026 California State Teacher of the Year award that will be named in the fall of 2025 by the California Department of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond. The 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be honored at the 2026 Celebrating Educators Event in May 2026.
2025 Riverside County Teachers of the Year (named in mid-2024)
Amy Torres
Mathematics
Indio High School
Desert Sands USD
Amanda Zonker
History/Social Science, English/Language Arts
Riverside STEM Academy
Riverside USD
Bob Mauger
named 2025 California Teacher of the Year
Automotive Technology
Corona High School
Corona-Norco USD
Misty McBee
Animatronics
Harvest Hill STEAM Academy
Menifee Union School District