Los Angeles Universal Preschool, Chief Operating Officer
For more than 31 years, Dr. Celia Ayala has worked tirelessly as a teacher, administrator and advocate for the children of Southern California.
As Chief Operating Officer at LAUP, Dr. Ayala is responsible for overseeing the organization’s day-to-day operations. This includes supervising departments and programs that help preschools improve their classrooms and services to children and their families, fund preschool classroom construction and upgrades, and create incentives and educational opportunities to attract and retain preschool teachers and providers. Her management skills and leadership abilities strengthen LAUP’s position as both a leader and a collaborator in the field of early childhood education.
Dr. Ayala, who in 2008 was selected by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the most influential Hispanics in the U.S., has a rich professional history in early childhood education and institutional management. Prior to joining LAUP, she served as the Assistant Superintendent, Division of Children & Family Services, at the Riverside County Office of Education. In that role, she managed all early childhood education programs and activities within the division, including the County’s Head Start program. She also worked with staff and the community to improve the quality of child care.
Previously, Dr. Ayala served as was the Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Technologies with the Pasadena Unified School District. Prior to that, she worked as a principal at James Madison Elementary School in that district. Ayala also served nine years as a director with the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Division of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.
As principal of James Madison Elementary School in the Northwest neighborhood of Pasadena, a predominantly Latino and African American community, Dr. Ayala worked with the local Junior League, community leaders, neighbors, parents and students. She helped create the Madison Neighborhood Village and Cornerstone Cottage where children, their families and other residents of the neighborhood come together for enrichment activities, academic support, literacy development and a variety of health and human services.
As a junior high and elementary school teacher in East Los Angeles, Pico Rivera and, later, as an administrator, she counseled and mentored students and their families about the value of an education. Then, as now, she offered a simple mantra for success in school students and their families: reading, reading, reading. Recognizing the impact that a love of reading has made in her own life, and seeing its value in the lives of the children she has
taught or supervised, Dr. Ayala has steadfastly promoted the idea that books can change lives.
She helped her students realize that an education is a tool and a master key to unlock the door of their potential. Dr. Ayala has also helped families to understand the value of college, often visiting parents at home to identify barriers - real and perceived - to higher education. Many of Dr. Ayala’s students have gone on to college, including several who have pursued distinguished careers.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ayala has also worked to expand educational opportunities for children during their critical early stages of life. As Assistant Superintendent with the Riverside County of Education, she led her division in tripling the number of children receiving child care services in Riverside County. Her leadership helped create one of the largest programs of its kind in California.
Dr. Ayala’s educational path has complemented her professional success and advocacy. Dr. Ayala holds a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California. She received a Master of Arts degree in education from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and Spanish from the University of Southern California.
