Ousted SRCS Superintendent Joins Leadership Firm as Strategy Consultant
After a turbulent tenure as superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools, Daisy Morales has resurfaced in a new role as Strategy Consultant with Universal Leadership & Associates.
After a turbulent tenure as superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools, Daisy Morales has resurfaced in a new role as Strategy Consultant with Universal Leadership & Associates.
The move marks a pivot from public education leadership to private advisory work, following her termination amid widespread staff dissent and a 97% no-confidence vote. Morales’s new position places her in a firm known for executive coaching and district turnaround strategies—raising questions about how her controversial track record will inform her consulting approach. For many in Sonoma County, the shift signals not just a career transition, but a reputational recalibration.
What is Universal Leadership & Associates?
Universal Leadership & Associates LLC is a California-based leadership coaching and consulting firm, officially registered on November 16, 2022. The company is headquartered at 5207 Percheron Drive in Elk Grove, with Roxanna B. Villasenor listed as both CEO and managing member.
Since Oct. 2023, Ms. Villasenor appears to be the current Superintendent of River Charter Schools in Sacramento according to her LinkedIn.
However, she does not appear on the District’s website as a part of the current Administrative Team.
I requested a copy of her Form 700 from the District to confirm employment, and the disclosure of reportable financial interests. Hopefully, she did not contract with her firm through the District.
The Podcast Feature
Morales and Villasenor were recently featured on a podcast together.
The Your Story Matters Podcast Episode 15: Dr. Daisy Morales & Roxanna B. Villaseñor
On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I have a conversation with not one but two incredible leaders Dr. Daisy Morales and Superintendent Roxanna B. Villaseñor. As a part of the Universal Leadership & Associates, they are hosting a series of free webinar discussions entitled, “Peer Power.” The first one is focused on women in leadership and will take place on July 30th from 4:00-4:45 PM. I am so absolutely thrilled for you to enjoy this conversation with these two accomplished leaders!
And yet, the question remains: how can Daisy Morales credibly lead others in strategic transformation when her own leadership tenure ended in collapse? A 97% no-confidence vote is not a footnote—it’s a verdict. Her pivot to consulting, framed as empowerment and expertise, risks becoming a reputational smokescreen rather than a reflection of growth. When leadership coaching is offered by someone removed for failed leadership, it invites scrutiny—not celebration.
If Universal Leadership & Associates is positioning itself as a beacon of reform, then transparency, accountability, and track record must be front and center—not obscured by podcast praise or vague webinar branding. For communities impacted by Morales’s decisions, this isn’t just a career move—it’s a test of whether leadership is earned, or simply rebranded.
