July 2022

Prior to joining the Virginia Department of Education as Director of School Quality, Dr. Ortiz served in rural and suburban educational settings at all levels between elementary and high school. Her depth of professional experiences combined with her dissertation research focused on the coping mechanisms of teachers who have experienced trauma in high needs schools have positioned her as an educator and expert deeply grounded in trauma-informed care practice.

Dr. Ortiz has delivered and facilitated professional development at the school building, school division, regional and national levels. Key highlights of her school transformation work include publishing with the Virginia Journal of Education on the topic of student motivation; and presentations with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE); Association for
Middle Level Educators (AMLE); Virginia State University Summer Institute on Innovation; and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), as a panelist for a session specifically titled: Ramping Up Your School to Respond to Mass Trauma. She was recognized and lauded for her turnaround work as a Principal with Chesterfield County School Division in Virginia and was featured in the 2020 NASSP article titled: “A Success Story, Effective School Turnaround”.

Dr. Ortiz earned a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Virginia State University, VA; an M.Ed. in School Administration and Secondary English from Columbus State University, GA; and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Texas – Arlington, TX. She currently resides in Virginia with her family.

Please join us in giving a huge WELV welcome to Lia!