María Martínez Iturriaga Named Senior Vice President, International Learning Environments

María Martínez Iturriaga, executive director at Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain, has been promoted to senior vice president, international learning environments, and executive director, Berklee Valencia, effective September 1.

Reporting to Berklee President Erica Muhl, Martínez Iturriaga will be responsible for the ongoing strategic development of Berklee’s international educational offerings, with an initial focus on Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. In addition, she will continue her successful leadership of the Valencia campus, where she has served Berklee as executive director since 2016. Martínez Iturriaga is Berklee’s only senior vice president from outside the U.S.

In her new role, Martínez Iturriaga will drive new initiatives that serve both the Berklee community and the broader regional communities where these efforts take place, and she will work to differentiate and enhance these programs through collaborations with local artists and arts organizations. These initiatives include new academic and industry partnerships; partnerships with community and civic organizations to foster regional educational opportunities and cultural exchange; and new facilities and campuses that will complement Berklee’s programs in Boston, Valencia, New York City, and elsewhere. She will also oversee the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center and the development of new programs and partnerships focused on the Middle East and India.

“Berklee's global vision was a key factor in the establishment of its first campus outside Boston, in Valencia,” said Martínez Iturriaga. “Its success, 10 years after its launch, has undoubtedly reinforced the institution’s international commitment. I am honored to lead this effort and to continue contributing new educational opportunities in other parts of the world.”

In her 13 years of service to Berklee, including her work as executive director of the Valencia campus since 2016, Martínez Iturriaga has played a leading role in defining academic, enrollment, and institutional strategies for Berklee abroad. She developed and implemented the enrollment strategy for Berklee’s first graduate programs, created the International Career Center, and launched academic programs such as First Year Abroad, among other initiatives. Recently, she led the negotiations that resulted in an agreement for Berklee to remain at Valencia’s iconic City of Arts and Sciences for an additional 40 years.

Under her leadership, the Valencia campus has served more than 3,000 students from 70 countries, and has fostered an international team of over 100 staff and faculty from more than 20 countries. During this time, the Valencia campus has pioneered new programs including the Global Career Summit and the Boston Conservatory Opera Intensive, and has developed educational and artistic collaborations with local and international institutions such as the United Nations, the Association of European Conservatories, Midem, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía.

A staunch supporter of equity in the arts, Martínez Iturriaga also supported the launch of initiatives to empower women in the music industry, including the Women and Conducting Symposium, the Berklee Valencia chapter of Women in Music, the Women's Empowerment Symposium, and She Knows Tech.

Martínez Iturriaga holds a master’s degree in performing arts administration from New York University, a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música in Madrid. Prior to coming to Berklee, she worked with AEA Consulting in New York, and in external affairs and as a music agent on projects in the U.S., U.K., and Spain.