Two Pasadena Educational Institutions Name Permanent Leaders After Interim Roles

In a single weekend, two bedrock educational institutions serving over 40,000 Pasadena area students elevated their interim leaders into permanent ones.

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education and the Pasadena Area Community College District Board of Trustees each separately announced the appointments of their new permanent leaders on Friday and Saturday nights.

Dr. Elizabeth Blanco, who has served as Interim Superintendent of the Pasadena Unified School District since July 2023, was unanimously selected by the Board of Education on April 27.

José A. Gómez, who has been serving as Pasadena City College’s interim superintendent/president since last June, was selected by the Board of Trustees on Friday.

The Pasadena Unified School District Board’s decision to appoint Blanco follows an extensive search that brought a field of highly qualified candidates. The Board authorized District staff to enter negotiations to finalize a contract with Blanco, which will be voted on by the Board on May 23, 2024.

“With her personal history, experience, and passion for social justice, Blanco is the right person to lead Pasadena Unified students, families, teachers, and staff in actualizing our District’s mission to prepare our students to be successful in an ever-evolving world,” said Board President Kimberly Kenne.

Blanco, an accomplished executive with more than 30 years of experience in public education, expressed her enthusiasm for the new role.

“I am honored to continue partnering with the students, staff, and families of this great District to create a culture of ‘with’ that supports and uplifts our students,” she said.

At Pasadena City College, the Board of Trustees announced Gómez’s selection at a special meeting on Friday. Board President Alton Wang said the selection process benefited from “the deep involvement of students, faculty, staff, and community members.”

“We are thrilled to have José Gómez serve Pasadena City College in this permanent role at an incredible time in our history,” Wang added.

Gómez, a Pasadena resident and first-generation college student raised in the San Gabriel Valley, has held senior positions at California State University, Los Angeles.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue leading Pasadena City College as its superintendent/president,” Gómez said.

The two appointments come at a time when the institutions are charting their future in times of change. Both Blanco and Gómez are expected to finalize their contracts in the coming months and continue their work in leading their respective institutions.