Cheryl Lawton

Board President

Cheryl first began her involvement with the José Valdés Math Institute in 1993 as a math teacher in the Summer Institute and quickly witnessed the impressive results: Provide students with a positive, supportive, caring, collaborative, and personalized environment- in addition to a rigorous curriculum- and ALL students can achieve amazing things. She taught with Valdés nearly every summer until becoming a school administrator meant she no longer had her summers available to teach. In 2007, Cheryl and a team of Valdés colleagues co-founded the José Valdés Math Foundation with the sole purpose of financially sustaining the José Valdés Math Institute and its outreach to/support of underrepresented and minoritized students in our community. Cheryl has served as a high school assistant principal, co-principal, and principal for nearly two decades in Bay Area schools that prioritize equitable practices in preparing all students for college and future-life success. Prior to becoming a school administrator, Cheryl taught mathematics in San Mateo, San Jose, Milpitas, and East Los Angeles at the middle school, high school, and community college levels. She holds both a Bachelor’s degree and teaching credential in Mathematics from CSU Northridge, a Masters degree in Teaching Mathematics from Santa Clara University, and a Masters degree and administrative credential in Educational Leadership from San Jose State.