The Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointments of three new members of the GUSD management team at the May 18, 2023 regular board meeting.

The first appointment is the new Principal at Rucker Elementary School: Tami Espinosa.  Tami will begin serving as Principal on July 1, 2023.  She is currently a 4th grade teacher at Rucker, and prior to that, was the Principal at Luigi Aprea Elementary School.

Tami started teaching in 1999.  She has been a fourth and fifth grade teacher, a BTSA Coach, Curriculum Specialist, Principal, and Principal Coach.  She has been engaged in education advocacy working with the California Department of Education on the English Language Advisory Committee, and served on the Board of the East Palo Alto Kids Foundation.  

She is currently the Grants Chair for the Latino Family Fund de Gilroy, and President of the Solorsano Parent Club.  She believes deeply in the power of education and is committed to promoting a safe and supportive school environment for all students.

Tami was raised in Gilroy and attended Rucker Elementary School, South Valley Junior High, and Gilroy High School.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Wesleyan University and her teaching credential and Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from CSU Fresno.  

Tami has two children: her son attends Rucker Elementary School and her daughter attends Solorsano Middle School.  She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time watching her kids in their various activities.  She is excited to return to administration after several years back in the classroom.

The next appointment is Patty Cattoor as the new Director of Child Nutrition.

Prior to her appointment, Patty served as the Supervisor of Student Nutrition for the Morgan Hill Unified School District for seven years. She assisted with creating complex nutritious recipes while also moving away from the standard "heat and serve'' kitchen model. All sites in MHUSD now use speed scratch or scratch cooking methods when preparing student meals. During her time with MHUSD, Patty was also instrumental in staff professional development and the Freight Farm deployment.

Patty earned her bachelor's degree in Food Management and a minor in business at San Jose State University.

She and her husband have two children and are fostering to adopt. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, pets, and gardening.

The third appointment is Matt Peters as the new Network Engineer Supervisor. Matt is a recent graduate of CSUMB with a degree in computer science, Matt brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of knowledge to our team.

With a passion for technology and a strong foundation in computer science, Matt is poised to excel in his role as a network engineer. His dedication to staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle is reflected not only in his personal life but also in his professional approach. Matt understands the importance of maintaining a robust and secure network infrastructure, ensuring seamless connectivity and optimal performance for our organization.

Constantly seeking new challenges and opportunities to grow, Matt thrives on expanding his knowledge and skill set. His appetite for learning is insatiable, enabling them to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in network engineering and apply innovative solutions to complex problems.

Outside of work, Matt enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle. Whether it's hitting the gym, going for a run, or exploring outdoor activities, he understands the importance of holistic well-being. This dedication to balance and self-improvement translates into his
professional life, as he brings a focused and disciplined approach to his work.

We are thrilled to welcome Matt to our team, confident that his technical expertise, leadership abilities, and unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth will make a significant impact on our organization. With Matt on board, we are ready to tackle any networking challenge that comes our way and continue to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Superintendent Flores shared, "I am so happy to welcome Tami back to our administrative team and to have Patty and Matt join our District as well to complete the final two open positions on our management team.  I look forward to the innovative ideas and best practices that they will bring to our District."

Tami, Patty and Matt will begin their new positions on July 1, 2023.