Pasadena Unified Names New Administrators

In an email to the Pasadena Unified community on Tuesday, the school district announced key changes in its administration staffing.

PUSD said that Dr. Jovan Jacobs will now administer all programs and services for children with disabilities, David Ibarra will support English Learners through the Language Assessment and Development Department and coordinate districtwide Athletics and International Baccalaureate programs, Amy McGinnis is the new Principal of Blair Middle and High School, and Hilda Ramirez Horvath has been promoted to Public Information Officer.

Here is a close-up look at each appointee, as provided by the district.

Jovan Jacobs, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent, Specialized Student Support/SELPA

Dr. Jacobs has served as PUSD’s Executive Director of Special Education since August 2021 and is being promoted to Associate Superintendent, Specialized Student Support/SELPA, pending Board approval. She replaces Dr. Marco Villegas, who has accepted a position as Superintendent of El Rancho Unified School District. Dr. Jacobs will be responsible for administering all programs and services for children with disabilities, leading cross-departmental strategic planning, improving standardized procedures and training for staff, strengthening collaborative partnerships with parents, and improving the organizational efficacy of the Special Education department.

Prior to joining PUSD, she served as the Executive Director of Special Education/Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) for Stockton Unified District. Before that, was the first SELPA Director for Compton Unified in 2012. Dr. Jacobs’ first administrative position was as Director of Special Education and Support Services with Alliance College-Ready Public Schools.

Dr. Jacobs has a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, an M.A. in Special Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and an M.A. in Administration with an emphasis in Urban Leadership from California State University, Sacramento. In 2012, she received an Ed.D. in K-12 Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California.

David Ibarra, Coordinator III – Athletics, English Learners, International Baccalaureate

David Ibarra, who has been principal of Blair Middle and High School since 2016, has been promoted to Coordinator III at the central office and will report to the Deputy Superintendent. In his new position, he will support English Learners through the Language Assessment and Development Department and coordinate districtwide Athletics and International Baccalaureate programs.

A product of PUSD schools, Ibarra joined PUSD in 2003 as a middle school teacher. While principal of Blair, he led the school’s accreditation by WASC, evaluation visits by the International Baccalaureate organization, incorporated the Armenian Academy into the campus, increased athletic offerings, expanded the school’s Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program, and helped develop grading equity practices. Blair is also home to the district’s International Academy, a specialized program designed for students in grades 6- 12 who have been in the U.S. for 12 months or less. Ibarra also led the recent modernization of the high school campus.

Amy McGinnis, Principal of Blair Middle and High School

Amy McGinnis, who has served as Blair’s assistant principal since 2019, has been appointed Principal by Superintendent McDonald. The district is in the process of hiring two assistant principals, along with two International Baccalaureate coordinators to support the middle and high school programs.

McGinnis was born and raised in Pasadena and is the proud product of the Pasadena Unified School District. McGinnis joined PUSD in 2019 and has been an educator for more than 25 years. She is currently in the doctoral program at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in educational leadership.

“I work with amazing teachers and staff and am excited to continue building strong relationships to create opportunities for our students to reach their goals and potential,” she says.

Before joining PUSD in 2019, McGinnis was a reading intervention specialist at Azusa Unified School District and Director of the Sierra Madre Community Nursery School. She was a reading and English instructor at Pasadena City College, a reading and writing instructor and mentor at Cypress College, and a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She began her career as an educator as a teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in the Pasadena Unified School District.

Hilda Ramirez Horvath, Public Information Officer

Hilda Ramirez Horvath, who has served as Manager of Communications since 2015, is promoted to Public Information Officer. She will lead the district’s communications team in implementing strategic communications and marketing plans to promote PUSD and its programs, events, and initiatives. Ramirez Horvath joined PUSD in 2008 as a Coordinator of Communications. Prior to that, she was a communications specialist at LAUSD and publicity/programming supervisor at KTTV/FOX 11.