MDUSD appoints District and School Administrators for 2025-26

During the MDUSD Board's summer break, the District has appointed the following elementary school principals.

• Principal at Monte Gardens Elementary: Alexander Bennett
• Principal at Silverwood Elementary: Kai Dwyer
• Principal at Ygnacio Valley Elementary: Sixto Porras

The Board has delegated authority to the Superintendent to make personnel appointments, and hire and transfer employees during the summer months when the Board does not meet. The Board expects to ratify these personnel decisions at its Aug. 13th meeting.

Previously, the Board made the following appointments for 2025-26 (click on names for more information):

District Administrators

• Chief of Human Resources: Ryan Sheehy
• Executive Director of Human Resources and Risk Management: Leanee Medina Estrada
• Director of Human Resources: Kesha Emmendorfer
• Director of Assessment, Research and Evaluation: Martha Thomas
• Director of Budget, Accounting and Fiscal Compliance: Brenda Barbera
• Director of Enrollment Services: Aurelia Buscemi
• Director of Student Services: Melissa Brennan
• Director of Technology and Innovation: Matthew Rosso
• Custodial and Operations Manager: Luis De La O

School Administrators

• Principal at Ayers Elementary School: Jennifer McCullough
• Principal at El Monte Elementary School: Gilberto Parada Jr. 
• Principal at Highlands Elementary School: Carrie Nerheim
• Principal at Pleasant Hill Elementary School: Ann McNamara Kim
• Principal at Walnut Acres Elementary School: Nicole Berglund
• Principal at Woodside Elementary: Madyson (Benz) Souza (appointed in April as Principal at site to be determined; site announced June 11)
• Principal at El Dorado Middle School: Jeanne Johnson
• Principal at Riverview Middle School: Veronica McLennan
• Principal at Valley View Middle School: Jamie Keith
• Principal at College Park High School: Dr. Ronald Richardson
• Principal at Prospect Continuation High School and Horizons Center for Independent Study: Megan O'Malley

On its Consent Agenda, the Board has also approved the following new administrator hires for the 2025-26 school year:

• Vice Principal, Cambridge Elementary: Brittany Rosenstrauch
• Vice Principal, Meadow Homes Elementary: Elizabeth Torres
• Vice Principal, El Dorado MS: Tanya Voqui
• Vice Principal, Riverview MS: Kelly Ann Jacobs
• Vice Principal, Secondary: Anthony Turner
• Vice Principal, Secondary: Raymond Leonard
• Program Specialist, Oak Grove MS: Jill Grover
• Program Administrator, Social Emotional Educational Collaborative (SEEC): Sarah Cabezas
• Program Administrator, Wellness: Norma Lopez
• Social Work Specialist, Special Education: Marcela Ardema

We will update this list as new appointments and administrator hires are approved for 2025-26.

New Principals include: (Top left, l-r) Dr. Ronald Richardson (College Park HS), Megan O'Malley (Prospect Continuation HS and Horizons Center for Independent Study), Nicole Berglund (Walnut Acres Elementary), Jamie Keith (Valley View MS), and Jeanne Johnson (El Dorado MS); and (bottom l-r) Jennifer McCullough (Ayers Elementary), Alexander Bennett (Monte Gardens Elementary), Kai Dwyer (Silverwood Elementary) and Sixto Porras (Ygnacio Valley Elementary).

The new Human Resources team includes (Top right, l-r): Director of HR Kesha Emmendorfer, Chief of HR Ryan Sheehy, and Executive Director of HR and Risk Management Leanee Medina Estrada.