Superintendent-elect Maurice (Mo) Green announced his first appointment last week, naming Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin as deputy superintendent, effective Jan. 2, 2025. Pitre-Martin will lead Green’s transition of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (DPI), according to a press release.
Pitre-Martin is highly regarded across the state and nation for her leadership. On Nov. 18, 2024, she was honored by the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation with the 2024 Friday Medal. The medal honors significant, distinguished, and enduring contributions to education through advocating for innovation, advancing education and imparting inspiration.
“Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin’s lifelong service to our education community cannot be understated. Her legacy is reflected in a wide range of strategic initiatives and programs with lasting impact from the state administration to the students,” said Krista Glazewski, executive director of the Friday Institute. “She champions efforts to improve educational outcomes for our highest-need communities, and her leadership is marked by a commitment to academic excellence and equity.”
Pitre-Martin’s experience
Green cited Pitre-Martin’s decades of successful leadership experience in education in North Carolina and nationwide. According to the press release, Pitre-Martin’s position does not exist in the current administration and will be part of a new organizational structure to be announced later.
Pitre-Martin currently serves as the executive director of the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG), with $30 million in active funding and over $200 million in contracts and grants over three decades. SERVE provides evidence-based technical assistance, evaluation, and research services to organizations across the country.
When she previously worked at DPI, Pitre-Martin served as the director of state board of education operations and policy, the deputy state superintendent for support services, the state chief academic and digital learning officer, the state director for K-12 curriculum and instruction, and the regional lead coordinator.
Prior to working at DPI, she served as superintendent of Thomasville City Schools, where there were double digit gains in state-mandated test scores, and the district had the highest graduation rate in the county, exceeding the state average.
Outside of North Carolina, Pitre-Martin held positions as superintendent of Petersburg City Public Schools in Virginia, chief academic officer for The School District of Philadelphia, and assistant superintendent for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in Louisiana.
She also served as the director of research and staff development for the Fort Bend Independent School District in Sugar Land, Texas, and the principal of Oakwood Intermediate School in College Station, Texas. In 2002, Pitre-Martin was selected as the Texas Middle School Principal of the Year for her leadership in leading Oakwood Intermediate School to an exemplary rating with 90% proficiency on state-mandated tests.
Pitre-Martin is a graduate of the Broad Superintendent Academy and was the youngest president of the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals. She holds a doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M University, along with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Through all of these experiences, according to the press release, Pitre-Martin has gained significant knowledge and skills in operating and administering the work of state and local educational systems.
“The public school children of North Carolina will be fortunate to have her working on their behalf, as she brings to NC DPI extensive, successful leadership experience and expertise in education in North Carolina and nationwide,” said Green.
