Glendale Unified promotes from within to fill vacancy

Maria Gandera, executive director of human resources for Glendale Unified, as been promoted to assistant superintendent of human resources, officials announced Thursday. She will replace David Samuelson, who retires at the end of the school year.

“Maria is an outstanding administrator who will provide us with a seamless transition,” Supt. Dick Sheehan said in a statement.

Gandera started her career with Pasadena Unified in 1990.

She was hired as a teacher specialist at Glendale Unified’s Franklin Elementary School in 1998. She later served as assistant principal at Edison Elementary, and then as principal at Franklin Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School before becoming director of human resources in 2009.

“Our mission, in whatever role we have in this district, is to support our students,” Gandera said in a statement. “This is an exciting opportunity to help increase student achievement in this new role.”

-- Megan O’Neil, Times Community News

Twitter: @megankoneil