Educator · Journalist · Author
Esther Wojcicki
The “Godmother of Silicon Valley” — transforming education one classroom at a time
Esther Wojcicki, affectionately known as “Woj,” is a pioneering American educator, journalist, and bestselling author whose influence reaches from a single Palo Alto classroom to schools and families around the world. Over four decades, she has redefined how educators think about trust, technology, and student agency — earning her recognition as one of the most consequential voices in modern education.
Who Is Esther Wojcicki?
Esther Wojcicki is a leading American educator, journalist, and mother whose work sits at the intersection of media, technology, and learning. The daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants and the first in her family to attend college, she earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, an advanced degree from the Sorbonne in Paris, and a master’s in educational technology from San Jose State University.
Since 1984 she has taught journalism and English at Palo Alto High School, where she founded the school’s now-celebrated Media Arts Program. What began as a small class of twenty students grew, under her leadership, into one of the largest scholastic media programs in the United States — serving roughly 600 students with multiple award-winning publications across newspaper, magazine, yearbook, video, photography, radio, and web.
A longtime advocate for blended learning, Wojcicki has helped shape educational technology since its earliest days in Silicon Valley, including close involvement with Google’s education initiatives and the founding of the Google Teacher Academy. She serves as Vice Chair of the Creative Commons board.
“The best way to teach kids is to trust them — and then get out of their way.”
The TRICK Philosophy
Wojcicki’s globally influential approach to parenting and teaching is captured in a single acronym — TRICK — the foundation of her bestselling book How to Raise Successful People. It distills a lifetime of classroom and family experience into five guiding principles.
Bestselling Books
How to Raise Successful People
Wojcicki’s landmark guide for parents and educators, laying out the TRICK framework drawn from raising three highly accomplished daughters and teaching thousands of students.
Moonshots in Education
A forward-looking exploration of blended learning and the integration of technology into the classroom, championing bold, student-centered reinvention of how we teach.
Honors & Recognition
- 2002 California Teacher of the Year, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
- 2009 Gold Key, Columbia Scholastic Press Association
- 2013 Honorary Doctorate, Palo Alto University
- 2016 Honorary Doctorate, Rhode Island School of Design
- Ongoing Vice Chair, Creative Commons board of directors
Legacy & Influence
Often called the “Godmother of Silicon Valley,” Wojcicki is the matriarch of one of the region’s most prominent families. Her three daughters reflect the principles she taught: Susan, the former CEO of YouTube; Anne, co-founder and CEO of 23andMe; and Janet, a professor and researcher at UC San Francisco.
Yet her wider legacy lives in the generations of students and educators she has inspired to embrace trust, creativity, and independence. As a speaker, author, and consultant, Esther Wojcicki continues to advocate for an education system built on empowering young people rather than controlling them — a vision that grows more relevant with each passing year.