PetalumaHigh School
Email: gnapoli@petk12.org Phone: (707) 778-4651
Mr. Napoli grew up in Monterey, Ca. and graduated HS. from Monterey High. After high school, Mr. Napoli continued his education at the Monterey Peninsula College, where he completed an A.A. Mr. Napoli moved to attend school at Fresno St., where he earned a B.S. in Kinesiology, completed the teaching credential program and, in 2012, earned a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration.
Mr. Napoli has held several educational positions, including teacher, substitute, teacher on special assignment (TOSA), coach, assistant principal, and principal. Mr. Napoli credits his experience as the Campus Culture Director at McLane High School as being the most impactful experience in education and helped prepare him for work in school administration.
In 2015 Mr. Napoli and his family moved from Fresno to Sonoma County where he taught PE and coached Football at Casa Grande High School. In 2016, Mr. Napoli became an Assistant Principal at Petaluma High School. After 6 years as an Assistant Principal, Mr. Napoli earned a promotion to Principal.
Mr. Napoli is proud to be a part of such a great school and community.
Email: doropeza@petk12.org Phone: (707) 778-4651
Dachia (pronounced Day-sha) is originally from the East Coast and grew up in Pennsylvania. She attended Penn State University for her undergraduate studies and began her career as a middle school dance teacher in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. After several years in the classroom, she moved to San Francisco to pursue her Master’s degree and quickly fell in love with the Bay Area, where she has now lived for over a decade.
With more than 15 years of experience in education, Dachia has held a wide range of roles that have deepened her understanding of school systems and public education. Her background includes 9 years in the classroom, 6 years in a central office role as a Teacher on Special Assignment, and 2 years as a Program Administrator. She has mentored and coached new teachers, led after-school sports teams, and developed strategies to support both students and educators.
During her time in the central office, Dachia worked closely with new educators, designing and facilitating impactful professional development and organizing large-scale district events, including the Special Olympics. She was also part of the initial planning team that launched a district-wide digital portfolio system.
As a Program Administrator, Dachia strengthened her connections with teachers by advocating for high-quality physical education. She supported lead teachers through ongoing coaching, conducted compliance reviews, and worked to create inclusive learning environments that played to students’ strengths. One of her most notable accomplishments in this role was co-creating a UC-approved A-G physical education course, which allowed students to earn "G" elective credit through their PE class, a first for the district.
While living in San Francisco, Dachia met her husband, Mario. In 2020, they relocated to Petaluma to be closer (but not too close) to Mario’s family in Santa Rosa. They are now raising two daughters, Eliana (3) and Aysha (1), in this wonderful community.
Dachia is excited to join the Petaluma High School community and looks forward to building meaningful relationships with students, staff, and families. Dachia is passionate about creating a positive and safe school culture where all students feel seen, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.
She is also looking forward to getting to know the unique traditions and spirit of Petaluma High, cheering on students at games and performances, and helping to lead initiatives that celebrate student voice, engagement, and well-being.
Email: taftab@petk12.org Phone: (707) 778-4651
Mr. Aftab grew up in Montvale, NJ and spent most of his adult life in the outskirts of Rutgers University. He started his career in 2011 as a Spanish Teacher and kept close ties to the Rutgers GSE and the World Language Educator community. He worked eleven years in NJ before moving to CA in 2022. His focus from the onset was putting theory into practice, being a support for all students, improving school climate and culture, and implementing other best-practices initiatives that benefit learning outcomes.
Having gone through a robust public ed pathway, including BA and two M.EDs from Rutgers University, he is a strong advocate for public education. His spouse also works in public education and they welcomed their daughter in 2021. At home, they value family, kindness, learning & exploration, and curiosity for all things.
He has a variety of work & study abroad experiences in Spain, Perú and Argentina y él espera expandir el alcance de nuestra escuela hacia todas nuestras familias! He is so happy to finally call Petaluma High School home!