Dean’s Superintendents Advisory Group

Established in 1980 by Ed Dundon, the Dean’s Superintendents Advisory Group (DSAG) provides an opportunity for a growing group of superintendents to consult with the Dean, network with other superintendents in California, and recruit aspiring superintendents to join the USC family. DSAG elected Frank Cosca PhD ’80 as its first president in 1991. Today DSAG has approximately 200 members.

DSAG Priorities Include:

  • Serving as active and engaged members of the USC Rossier Trojan Family.
  • Raising funds for the DSAG Endowed Scholarship Fund, which supports current USC Rossier EdD students aspiring to become superintendents.
  • Advising the Dean on a variety of current educational issues.
  • Sponsoring the annual USC Rossier superintendents’ dinner, the largest gathering of educational leaders affiliated with a California university.
  • Annually recognizing a USC Rossier alumnus or faculty member who has made significant contributions to K-12 education.
  • Partnering with the USC Rossier School on its annual summer Leadership Conference, which welcomes nearly 250 participants annually.

Member Events

  • DSAG Awards Dinner (January)
  • Spring DSAG Meeting (April/May)
  • Leadership Conference (July)
  • DSAG @ Associates Picnic (September)
  • Fall DSAG Meeting (September/October)

View a gallery of past DSAG events.

News

Superintendent Announcements

  • Paul Gothold EdD ’17 was appointed superintendent of schools for the San Diego County Office of Education.
  • Brett Geithman EdD ’09 was named superintendent at Larkspur-Corte Madera School District.
  • David Haglund EdD ’09 was named superintendent of schools for Pleasanton Unified School District.
  • Cyndi Paik EdD ’06 was named superintendent of Westminster School District.
  • Betsy Hamilton EdD ’12 was named superintendent of Lawndale Elementary School District.
  • Crystal Turner EdD ’13 was named superintendent of Saddleback Valley Unified School District.
  • Ruben Zepeda EdD ’05 was named superintendent of Keppel Union School District in Pearblossom, California.
  • Joshua Arnold EdD ’13 was named superintendent of Culver City Unified School District.
  • Stefanie Phillips EdD ’05 was named superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District, the seventh largest school district in California.
  • Michelle Rodriguez EdD ’12 was named superintendent of Pajaro Valley Unified School District in Watsonville, California.
  • Carolyn Seaton EdD ’16 was named superintendent of Orinda Union School District.
  • Ken Gibbs EdD ’99 was named superintendent of the Porterville Unified School District.
  • Cuauhtemoc Avila EdD ’11 was named superintendent of the Rialto Unified School District.
  • Richard Sheehan EdD ’02 was named superintendent of the Covina-Valley Unified School District.
  • Hasmik Danielian EdD ’09 was named superintendent of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District.
  • Julio Fonseca EdD ’08 was named superintendent of the San Ysidro School District.
  • Kevin Baxter EdD ’04 was named director and superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
  • Chuck Hinman EdD ’02 was appointed superintendent of the West Covina Unified School District.
  • Mark Johnson EdD ’11 was appointed superintendent of the Fountain Valley School District.
  • David Verdugo EdD ’05 was named executive director for the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA).
  • Catherine Kawaguchi EdD ’14 was named superintendent of the Sulphur Springs Union Elementary School District.
  • Melissa Moore EdD ’14 was named superintendent of the El Segundo Unified School District.
  • Rick Bagley EdD ’13 was appointed superintendent of the Ross Valley School District.
  • Alex Cherniss EdD ’08 was named superintendent of the San Marino Unified School District.

DSAG Hall of Fame Inductees

2017 Maria Ott PhD ‘94
2016 Michael Escalante EdD ‘02
2015 Pedro Garcia EdD ’83
2014 Jack McLaughlin MS ’65 PhD ’68 and Michael J. McLaughlin PhD ’77
2013 Karen Symms Gallagher
2012 Thomas C. Halvorsen EdD ’80
2011 Steven Fish EdD ’97
2010 Rudy Castruita EdD ’82
2009 Darline Robles PhD ’93
2008 Mike Caston MS ’73 EdD ’80 PhD ’81
2007 Carol Wilson PhD ’80
2006 Robert French ’52 PhD ’69
2005 Stuart Gothold EdD ’74

For more information please contact:

Matt DeGrushe

Director of Alumni Engagement
mdegrush@rossier.usc.edu
(213)821-2670

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