Nichi Aviña is the 2022 California Teacher of the Year, a middle school science teacher at Cielo Vista Charter School in Palm Springs Unified School District, and co-author of Regulate to Educate: An EduProtocol Field Guide for Calm, Caring, and Resilient Classrooms. She holds a B.S. in Biology from UC San Diego and a Master of Education and began her career in cancer research before transitioning to education.

Nichi is a Community Resiliency Model (CRM) Teacher, HeartMath Facilitator, 300-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, and advanced Somatic Experiencing student. Her work integrates neuroscience, trauma-informed practices, nervous system regulation, and student leadership to help schools create cultures where students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn.

She developed the Regulate to Educate framework and the Students Regulating Students peer mentoring model, which trains middle school students to teach and apply regulation skills with younger peers, classmates, and families. Her work has been featured at state and national conferences and focuses on building student agency, belonging, wellness, and resilience through evidence-informed practices.

Through her teaching, writing, and professional learning workshops, Nichi helps educators implement practical strategies that strengthen regulation, relationships, and learning. Her mission is to help schools become sanctuaries of healing, belonging, and leadership—one regulated nervous system at a time.