12-03-2025
Local assemblyman honors Lodi educator Susan Petersen as district's Woman of the Year
Mar. 12—Every year, California legislators honor people in their respective districts for being exemplary citizens.
This year, Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon, named Susan Petersen as his honoree for Woman of the Year.
Petersen has served as an educator for 27 years in Flora's Assembly District 9, beginning her career as a fourth-grade teacher at the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District.
She then served as a principal at Nichols and Washington elementary schools in the Lodi Unified School District before becoming the district's director of education.
"I'm very honored and humbled to receive this official recognition from the State Assembly," Petersen said during a presentation at the Capitol. "My entire career has been dedicated to educating our kids and the wider Lodi community as a whole. It was inspiring to share this day with other women from around the state who have made a difference in their own communities."
Petersen earned her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside and master's degree from National University.
She has been recognized by San Joaquin A+ for promoting literacy in the county and has been featured in statewide publications such as CalMatters, Early Edge California and EdSource for her work in early literacy and learning.
Lodi Unified superintendent Neil Young said Petersen supervises elementary school principals at Stockton campuses. She has also guided efforts around early literacy at all 32 elementary schools in the district, he said. Petersen has also been leading the effort to design and develop transitional kindergarten plan that ensures every school has an "impactful" program.
Petersen's efforts have increased the district's total number of TK students from more than 200 students in 2021-22 to 655 students this academic year, Young said.
"Next year the district will fully implement that plan, which will further increase the number of students participating in transitional kindergarten, which supports the district's focus on preparing students for their K-12 education," he said. "Assemblyman Flora made a great decision in naming Susan as the Woman of the Year representing District 9."
Flora met Petersen as a constituent and they soon became fast friends. When he learned she was active in promoting literacy throughout the county, he decided to nominate her for the Woman of the Year.
"Susan is a wonderful person and we had a fun time at the Capitol today while the Assembly recognized honorees from all over the state," Flora said on the Assembly floor. "She's lived and worked and served in the community for 27 years and is very deserving of this recognition."
