Van Ayres serves as Superintendent of Schools for Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), the nation’s seventh-largest school system. He was appointed to the role on November 2, 2023.

Before being appointed Superintendent, Mr. Ayres served as Chief of Strategic Planning and Partnerships, where he used his visionary leadership to direct and implement the district’s 5-year strategic plan, all while fostering community relationships.

Prior to that role, Mr. Ayres served as Deputy Superintendent of Schools for HCPS. In that position, he used his data-driven expertise to spearhead efforts to improve the district’s graduation rate, which increased by 12.2 percentage points over a five-year period. As Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Ayres also established procedures to allow access to Magnet and School Choice Programs for families transitioning into the district. He implemented a process to allow families transitioning with a child with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to connect with the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) department before arrival.

Mr. Ayres was born and raised in Tampa and has been a lifelong educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1992 and attended the University of Tampa, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Mr. Ayres began his teaching career in 1997 as a science teacher at Blake High School. In 2003, Mr. Ayres was selected as Assistant Principal for Student Affairs and later Assistant Principal of Curriculum at Blake High School. In 2012, he jumped at the chance to return to his alma mater and was appointed Principal at Jefferson High School.

Mr. Ayres has long been an advocate for military families and military students in the district. Throughout his district-level roles, he was chosen as Co-Chair of The MacDill Council for Educational Excellence, which is comprised of MacDill Air Force Base and district leadership and meets quarterly to enhance the educational experience of military-connected students enrolled in HCPS. The ability of the partners to address emerging needs and the support of community partners has allowed for continued expansion and innovation of services for military children and families across Hillsborough County. Mr. Ayres also created a military staffing specialist position to assist military families transitioning with IEPs and advocated for the establishment of the Purple Star School of Distinction through state legislation.

Van Ayres is a leader in the community and has served on many community organizations and advisory boards. He currently sits on the boards of the Hillsborough Education Foundation, LEAP Tampa Bay, Children’s Board, Junior Achievement Tampa Bay, Straz Center Board of Trustees, Starting Right Now, Tampa Bay Chamber, and the American Heart Association.