Influential Woman · Education

Dr. Christa DiBonaventura

Principal, Guilford County Schools

Greensboro, NC

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Elementary Education Degree Appalachian State University Degree 2002 Degree Master's in School Administration Degree Gardner-Webb University Degree 2006 Degree Doctorate in Education Degree 2019 Cert Aspiring Superintendent Program for Women Leaders (AASA) Member AASA (American Association of School Administrators)

Her Story

About Dr. Christa

I've been in education for 24 years, and I've served as a principal for about 17 years. Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to be a teacher. I was that kid who always brought home the discarded teacher manuals and student materials, and I used to always play school with my stuffed animals. My parents would come participate and play with me, and my brother did too. Once I got into education, I felt like I wanted to grow and to do more, to serve at a higher need, and I moved into administration. In my current school, we have met or exceeded growth every year since I've been there, and that's been since COVID, so we've done really, really well in helping our kids be successful and grow as learners. Student safety is our first priority every single day when we come to school, along with instruction of students, making sure that they have a sound education and access to high-quality materials and resources and access to people who care about them, love them, and help them grow. I'm currently in an aspiring superintendent program for women leaders through AASA, preparing for the superintendency.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Dr. Christa

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to the people I work with. Being an educator is not a solo job - you can't do it by yourself by any means. The people you work with within your school, but also within your district, people you can lean on and turn to when you need help, and your family and friends who are your biggest cheerleaders - that's what helps make you successful. It's not just one person, it's the entire team. I attribute my success to the staff that I work with, and the kids. You know, they work hard, too.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've received is to always ask yourself, is it what is best for kids? It's something I live by - always, is it best for kids? That's the question you should always be asking yourself.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't give up. Always keep reaching for your goals, keep working for it. One of the things I've learned over the years is that when you don't ever feel like you're ready, you're ready. You may feel like you're not ready, and you want to wait till you are, but go for it anyway. Don't stop, persevere, and work through it.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Currently, the biggest challenge is budgeting. We tend to lose funding in public education, and so we're asked to do more with less funding and less resources. Trying to problem-solve and make things work and meet the needs of all of our learners is very difficult when you don't have a budget that can support that. We've taken some hits, and our funding tends to go toward private and charter schools, and it's gotta come from somewhere, so it comes from public schools. We're asked to do more with less, and the expectations just aren't the same. We need to support our public schools.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I think one of the biggest things is compassion and kindness towards others. You never know what path somebody has been down, or what they're dealing with. I always try to keep a positive mindset and handle people with kid gloves. Just making sure that we don't assume the worst in others, but look for the best.

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