Las Cruces Public Schools announces superintendent semifinalists
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education announced seven semifinalists for the job of superintendent.
The district says the seven were chosen on Friday from a group of 30 applicants. The former superintendent left his post earlier this year.
The district reminds everyone that this semifinalist list can expand at any time, so the current list is not final.
The semifinalists are Dr. Debra Elder, Monica Mesa, Dr. Fred Montalvo, Dr. Raul Peña, Dr. Geovanny Ponce, Cynthia Retana, and Ignacio Ruiz.
Elder currently serves as the interim superintendent of Los Lunas Schools. She also worked at Albuquerque Public Schools and received a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California.
Mesa oversees 26 elementary schools, serving as Assistant Superintendent of East Elementary Schools for Mesa Public Schools, Arizona's largest school district. She holds a Master's degree from Northern Arizona University.
Montalvo is LCPS's Executive Director of Operations. He previously worked for Mescalero Apache Schools and Hatch Valley Public Schools. He has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.
Peña is Chief Talent Officer at Ft. Worth Independent School District. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, receiving Bachelor and Doctoral degrees. He also participated in the Harvard National Institute for Urban Leaders.
Ponce is the Assistant Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. LCPS says Ponce has been with the district for the past two decades, serving in many different roles. He holds a Doctoral degree in public school administration from Texas A&M University.
Cynthia Retana has worked for Socorro Independent School District and Ector County Independent School District for the past 27 years. She is a UTEP grad and holds a Master's degree in mid-management. She is in the process of getting a Ph.D. from Texas A&M-Commerce right now.
Ruiz serves as assistant superintendent for Clark County School District in Nevada. That is the fifth largest school district in the country, according to LCPS. He graduated from the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents National Superintendent Academy and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.
Officials will hold the first round of interviews June 16 to 17 and plans to announce finalists soon after. The district will host a Superintendent Public Forum June 22 at 6 p.m. to make sure the community can meet the candidates. The forum is happening at Organ Mountain High School, with a meet and greet at the Performing Arts Center lobby.
A final round of interviews is scheduled for June 29 and 30. The district will announce its final selection at a meeting as early as July 1.
