User Profile

Chief Operations Officer and General Counsel, High Tech High

Maria Cristina R. Heredia works with High Tech High (HTH) in the dual role of Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. As part of a dedicated operations team, she supports the HTH schools in many areas, including strategic planning, board engagement, authorizer and stakeholder relations, and the development of policies and practices that reflect the school's culture. Maria previously served as Senior Vice President of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel to the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA). At CCSA, Maria worked to expand advocacy efforts on behalf of California charter schools, while leading an action that significantly increased the facilities available to children attending charter schools in Los Angeles. Prior to fully moving into the nonprofit education sector, Maria served charter schools, nonprofits and private companies as an attorney. After gaining hands-on experience as a law partner at Luce Forward Hamilton and Scripps LLP, she co-founded California Counsel Group, a law practice focusing on empowerment through education and entrepreneurship.Maria has enjoyed teaching graduate level classes in education law and policy and has served on the boards of local nonprofits such as the MAAC Project and the UCSD Hispanic Scholarship Council. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Harvard University where she earned an A.B. in American History and Literature. Maria is a Fellow of the 11th class of the Pahara-Aspen Education Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.