Sophia Mendoza is a proud alumnus of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she has dedicated nearly 30 years of service in various roles, including bilingual teacher, coordinator, assistant principal and principal. Currently, she serves as the Director of the Instructional Technology Initiative (ITI) at LAUSD, where she oversees the implementation of computer science education and digital citizenship programs across the district.
In her role, Sophia manages the district-wide application of the ISTE Standards across 1300 schools, collaborating with local district leaders to ensure successful integration. Sophia also spearheads the expansion of equitable and accessible computer science education from preschool through 12th grade and designs and delivers 21st-century professional learning opportunities for over 300 educators. She has established and maintained high-profile partnerships with organizations such as the California Emerging Technology Fund, Google and Microsoft to support the district's instructional technology vision.
Sophia is a board member of ISTE and has received multiple awards and recognitions for her contributions to advancing instructional technology and computer science education.