Chief Business Official and Middle School Counselor are Next 2026 Riverside County Educators of the Year

ROMOLAND AND PERRIS – Karen Owen was in the middle of employee negotiations in a conference room at the Romoland School District Office, and Alejandra Guzman had just given a presentation to students in a classroom at Pinacate Middle School in the Perris Union High School District as part of their daily responsibilities on Friday, January 16.

What they didn’t know, was that waiting for them in the board room and school library, respectively, were students, colleagues, family members, board members, superintendents, and Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, who surprised both individuals with the news that they are 2026 Riverside County Educators of the Year.

Each year, Dr. Edwin Gomez, conducts surprise visits to name the seven Riverside County Educators of the Year, who are selected from the more than 40,000 employees serving 430,000 students in more than 500 schools. All honorees will be recognized at the 2026 Celebrating Educators Luncheon set for May 6, at the Riverside Convention Center.

About the 2026 Classified Administrator of the Year – Karen Owen

Chief Business Official, Romoland School District

“Mrs. Owen has led the district to long-term financial stability during rapid changes in growth and student enrollment. This has enabled the district to expand academic programs, led to increased staff compensation and benefits, and sustained essential services without compromising financial health or accountability,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “She has demonstrated exceptional collaborative leadership by mentoring staff, supporting labor relations, and aligning fiscal decisions with LCAP goals and student outcomes.”

“I just have to say that I couldn’t do this without our team and the collaboration with all the other sites and departments, because that is so important,” said Karen Owen, Chief Business Official, Romoland School District, directly following the surprise announcement.

Karen Owen started working as a classified employee in the Business Services Department at Romoland School District thirteen years ago, when she was first hired as an Accounting Technician. Since that time, she has also served as a Fiscal Services Supervisor and now serves as the Chief Business Official.

She describes her role as leading with a wide lens—honoring the day-to-day needs of staff while also anticipating future challenges, enrollment shifts, regulatory changes, and community needs. Karen believes in communication that is honest, data-driven, and aligned with long-term planning.

Karen’s impact is described as “fundamentally transforming the district’s ability to serve its rapidly growing student population.” Others describe her “unique ability to recognize potential in others and foster their growth through encouragement, constructive feedback, and opportunities to expand their skill sets.”

Karen holds an associate’s degree in social/behavioral science and multiple professional development certificates. She is a resident of San Jacinto.

About the 2026 School Counselor of the Year – Alejandra Guzman

Middle School Counselor, Pinacate Middle School, Perris Union High School District

“Ms. Guzman implemented a referral and tracking system for student staff and families that allows for precision to take place so that we know exactly what's happening with our kids, identifying trends and emerging needs, prioritizing urgency and at-risk situations, and tracking outcomes,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “She leads impactful school-wide initiatives for prevention, not just intervention, including an anti-bullying initiative, suicide prevention pledge events and high school ready lessons that strengthen campus climate and student ownership of learning.”

“I feel so grateful and very happy. I truly love working here,” said Alejandra Guzman to a room full of students in the Pinacate Middle School library immediately after the surprise announcement. “For my kids, I was once one of you guys, and I know this is hard, but good things do happen. Thank you!”

Alejandra Guzman approaches her work with compassion and humility to ensure students feel safe, supported, and heard, while holding students accountable and empowering them with clear boundaries. She credits cultural humility and lifelong learning from students, colleagues, and her family as keys to her success.

Her quantitative and qualitative efforts to support social-emotional and academic success have positively impacted the Standing Strong Against Bullying Initiative and the Suicide Prevention Pledge. Before serving in her current role as a school counselor at Pinacate Middle School, Alejandra worked with students as a guest teacher, youth leader, tutor, and counseling intern. She is also a graduate of the Perris Union High School District. 

Colleagues describe Alejandra as someone who “does not simply identify challenges but takes ownership of the work needed to address them” and someone who “consistently champions systems that support all learners—particularly those most at risk—while leading with compassion, professionalism, and courage.”

Alejandra earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University, San Marcos, and a master’s degree in school counseling from the University of Redlands.

The full list of categories and honorees for the 2026 Riverside County Educators of the Year:

• Riverside County Site Support Employee of the Year
  Casey Rogers
  Instructional Coach of Athletics – Expanded Learning, Alvord Unified School District
• Riverside County Classified Employee of the Year
  Daniel Whitman
  Database Analyst, Jurupa Unified School District
• Riverside County Principal of the Year
  Melissa Galataud
  Principal, Nellie Coffman Middle School, Palm Springs Unified School District
• Riverside County Classified Administrator of the Year
  Karen Owen
  Chief Business Official, Romoland School District
• Riverside County School Counselor of the Year
  Alejandra Guzman
  Middle School Counselor, Pinacate Middle School, Perris Union High School District
• Riverside County Certificated Administrator of the Year – TBD in January 2026
• Riverside County Confidential Employee of the Year – TBD in January 2026

The Riverside County Educators of the Year are selected from the more than 40,000 educational employees in the county. The rigorous application process starts with nominations by teachers, classified employees, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where an outside selection committee selects the honorees before the county superintendent's announcement.

Along with the 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year named previously, all 2026 Riverside County Educators of the Year will be honored at the Celebrating Educators Luncheon, set for Wednesday, May 6, at the Riverside Convention Center.

Clarification: The 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year were named mid-2025 to align with the 2026 California State Teacher of the Year competition. The 2027 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May/June of 2026 and will vie for the 2027 California State Teacher of the Year award, which will be named in the fall of 2026 by the California Department of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The 2027 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be honored at the Celebrating Educators Event in May 2027.

2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year (named in mid-2025)