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Mary Jane Burke ’74, who served as Marin County Superintendent of Schools for 28 years, will deliver ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç’s Spring 2026 Commencement address on May 16.

The Commencement ceremony begins at 10 a.m. on Forest Meadows Field. More information.

Burke grew up in Stockton as the oldest of eight children. She graduated from ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç College in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and four teaching credentials. Over a career spanning almost 50 years and counting, she has held a variety of positions in Marin County public schools, including special education instructional assistant, teacher, principal, special education director, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent.

Burke served as Marin County Superintendent of Schools from 1994 to 2022. As superintendent, she led impactful projects to broaden technical education pathways in our local high schools. She also advanced improvements in special education, early childhood education and career education programs across Marin while facilitating collaboration between parents, schools, districts and the community.

Burke currently sits on several boards, including the ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç Sisters Charitable Trust, WestEd, EdSource, The Civics Center, Brewster West Foundation, and the IBIS Group. She is a consultant and advisory board member to the UCSF Dyslexia Center’s Multitudes Project and is a consultant to the John H. and Regina K. Scully Foundation. Her esteemed service on ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç’s Board of Trustees will come to an end next month.

Burke was awarded ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and the Sister Patricia Lyons Award in 2021.