PUSD Chief Finance Officer Steps Down for Capistrano

Pasadena Unified School District chief finance officer John Pappalardo will be leaving his post on April 13 to become the deputy superintendent of business services for the Capistrano Unified School District.

Pappalardo has held his position as chief finance officer for PUSD for 3 years, and has dealt with more than $20 million in state budget cuts. Currently, he is working to keep PUSD afloat in the face of an estimated $17 million budget cut for the coming school year.

Capo Unified will prove a challenge to Pappalardo as well, with Capistrano officials recently announcing the need to make over $50 million in cuts next year. This wouldn’t be Pappalardo’s first time working in Orange County, having previously worked as business services manager and director of data processing for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

In the meantime, Pasadena spokesperson Adam Wolfson says Pasadena officials have begun searching for Pappalardo’s replacement, both on a full-time and temporary basis. With the budget decisions coming up in May, a finance officer is expected to be in place by then.