Moyra was born in Santiago, Chile. She immigrated to Seattle in 1964 where she lived for 20 years. She earned a B.A. in Latin American Studies with a minor in Multi-Cultural Education and a teaching credential from the University of Washington. She also holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from California State University, East Bay. She has lived in Oakland since 1984. 

Moyra Contreras is a life-long educator. She began teaching in preschools while still in college. She then taught in Seattle Public Schools before moving to Oakland in 1984 where she taught at Stonehurst, Jefferson and Melrose Elementary. She served as a Mentor Teacher, Migrant Education Head Teacher, Bay Area Writing Project Consultant, Executive Principal, served on the founding Advisory Board of the national magazine, Teaching Tolerance, now known as Learning For Justice and on the Board of the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC). She worked in OUSD for 37 years; 26 of those years as a principal and member of the United Administrators of Oakland Schools (UAOS). She became principal of Melrose Elementary School in 1993, then founded Melrose Leadership Academy in 2001 where she continued to serve until 2019. Moyra is a tireless advocate for quality public education for all. Her three children attended and graduated from Oakland Public Schools.

Moyra has served as the Executive Director of United Administrators of Oakland schools since July of 2021.