Her Story
About Almi
Dr. Abeyta is a nationally recognized education leader with nearly 30 years of experience dedicated to advancing teaching, learning, and equity in urban public education. A proud product of public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she has built her career around expanding access to high-quality, inclusive educational opportunities for all students. She began her journey in education as a classroom teacher in 1996 and has since progressed through every major level of school leadership, including principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.
For the past six years, Dr. Abeyta has served as Superintendent of Chelsea Public Schools, where she leads the district with a strong focus on instructional excellence, equity, and student success. In her role, she views herself as the chief executive of the school system, responsible for setting vision and direction while empowering a strong leadership team to execute across departments. She prioritizes being highly visible in schools, maintaining close relationships with principals, and ensuring that instructional practice remains at the center of all decision-making. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes trust, collaboration, and a commitment to hiring and supporting talented educators who can drive meaningful impact.
Dr. Abeyta is deeply committed to ensuring that all students graduate college- and career-ready, grounded in the belief that students thrive when educators know them by name, strength, and story. Throughout her career, she has been recognized nationally for her leadership in educational equity, including honors such as Latina Administrator of the Year, the La Lucha Award, and recognition as a Massachusetts Commonwealth Heroine and ALX100 Honoree. She is also a contributing author and fellowship participant in multiple national education leadership initiatives. Dr. Abeyta continues to be a leading voice in urban education, dedicated to strengthening instructional practice and expanding opportunity for historically underserved students.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Almi
01What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, hard work. And sometimes you have to make difficult decisions, and being willing to make those difficult decisions. I was always taught to work really hard, and that's what I've carried with me throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from a professor when I was studying to be a school administrator. He said to me, to be genuine in my leadership and to not change who I am. I need to be authentic and don't try to be something that I'm not. I have carried that with me throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that the work is hard and very rewarding. Don't lose sight of the students and why you got into education in the first place. Stay grounded in that, because on the hard days, leadership is hard, you need to remind yourself of why you do the work that you do. For me, my why are my students. You definitely have to have a solid foundation of why you do the work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are so many challenges. Making sure that our students are getting all that they need so that they can be successful. Making sure that kids are not falling through the cracks and that they're reading on grade level. We want our kids to go to college, so the challenge is supporting them, especially because I work in an urban school district, so we work twice as hard to support our students as they're applying to college. We have to explain to them how everything works, like not getting into debt. When you're working with first-generation college-going students, they don't often know how to navigate the system. I have a saying: we have to get our kids to college, then we have to get them through. That's why I tell my students, make sure you come back if you're struggling in your freshman year. We're here for you, and we can help you find the support that you need in college and point you in the right direction. To and through, we say. You have to get to college and through it. It's not enough to get them to college, we want them to graduate.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My values are faith, family, and then work, in that order. I am a wife, a mother, and then a superintendent.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Massachusetts
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.