Ligia Noriega-Murphy

Ligia Noriega-Murphy has been an educational leader with a strong standing career of turning schools and a district around, always keeping students at the center of her work. Ligia Noriega-Murphy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Massachusetts, Boston; two Master degrees (Education and Management) and a Certificate in Diversity from Cambridge College; a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, a Principalship Residency Network Certification from Northeastern University. Ligia Noriega-Murphy completed the first Boston Public Schools’ Principal Fellows program which was designed to grow school leaders, Principals/Headmasters from within. In 1995, Ligia Noriega-Murphy began work at the Boston Public Schools. Along with being one of the Boston Arts Academy founding faculty members, she also founded Boston Arts Academy’s 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 The English High School to high performance levels. In 2013, Noriega-Murphy was deployed to transform The English High School into a high performing school. In the 2016 Diplomas Now National Convention in Orlando, FL, The English High School and Ligia Noriega-Murphy received the School and Headmaster of the Year Awards. In 2015 and 2016, Ligia Noriega-Murphy was invited by the White House to present best practices for the national movement of My Brother’s Keeper support systems for students. In 2017 Noriega-Murphy was inducted to The English High School Hall of Fame. Ligia Noriega-Murphy is fluent in several languages and has traveled to more than 36 countries. On July 1, 2021, 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 into pathways of current and future success.