Ligia Noriega-Murphy is an educational leader with a long-standing career of school and district improvement, always keeping students at the center of her work. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in art history from the University of Massachusetts, Boston; two Master’s degrees (Education and Management) and a Certificate in Diversity from Cambridge College; a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from the University of Massachusetts, Boston; and a Principalship Residency Network Certification from Northeastern University. She also completed the first Boston Public Schools’ Principal Fellows program.
In 1995, Ms. Noriega-Murphy began work at the Boston Public Schools. In addition to being one of the Boston Arts Academy’s founding faculty members, she also founded its International Program in Spain and Mexico. She served as assistant superintendent for Boston Public Schools for 11 years. She is well known for her work in skillfully leading Excel High School and English High School to high performance levels. In the 2016 Diplomas Now National Convention in Orlando, Fl., English High School and Ms. Noriega-Murphy received the School and Headmaster of the Year Awards. In 2015 and 2016, she was invited by the White House to present best practices for the national My Brother’s Keeper initiative. In 2017, Ms. Noriega-Murphy was inducted to the English High School Hall of Fame. She is fluent in several languages and has traveled to more than 36 countries. On July 1, 2021, Ms. Noriega-Murphy started her role as superintendent of the Malden Public Schools, where she built strong relationships with students, caregivers, and community members. She positioned the Malden Public Schools for current and future success.
