ACSA selects next executive director

Association of California School Administrators

April 18, 2022

Dr. Edgar Zazueta has been selected as the new executive director of the Association of California School Administrators and will begin his leadership of our organization June 1, 2022.

“The ACSA Board of Directors is very excited to have Edgar to lead our organization,” said Charlie Hoffman, ACSA president and superintendent of Shasta County ROP and the Bella Vista Elementary School District. “Our members want a leader who will push innovation and collaboration both internally and externally and continue to grow our organization. We believe Edgar is the leader who will take ACSA to the next level.”

Zazueta has served as the ACSA Senior Director of Policy and Governmental Relations since 2015. During his tenure, he has worked with the state Vice Presidents for Legislative Action and region VPLAs to craft a strategy that strengthened our voice in Sacramento with key lawmakers and the governor’s office. He has been instrumental in growing engagement between legislators and ACSA members, including the most recent ACSA Legislative Action Days, which included more than 70 meetings between ACSA members and elected leaders.

Zazueta succeeds former Executive Director Wes Smith, who announced in September that he would leave ACSA to become superintendent of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Former ACSA President Marc Ecker was brought on to serve in the interim executive director role.

The search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates supported ACSA’s search for a new executive director. The process began in October and included member surveys, focus group meetings, collaboration with the ACSA leadership and a nationwide search, yielding numerous qualified applicants.

“We conducted a thorough process to find our new executive director,” Hoffman said. “We felt that Edgar’s connectivity to ACSA members, lawmakers and key stakeholders were essential to selecting him for this pivotal role.”

“I’m humbled by the opportunity and trust the ACSA Board of Directors has placed in me.”

— Edgar Zazueta, Incoming ACSA Executive Director

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zazueta has been instrumental in advocating for California school leaders as they navigated the challenges of serving students while protecting public health. Zazueta is the co-host of the ACSA Legislative Lunchbreak, a weekly broadcast that debuted during the pandemic to give school leaders vital information on constantly changing public health guidance coming from Sacramento.

“Through his career, Edgar has earned the respect of many around the state both in and out of education for his collaborative working style and fierce advocacy on behalf of students and the public schools they attend,” said John Gray, president and CEO of School Services of California, in a statement. “Edgar is often sought out by state policymakers to represent the broader school management community in a wide range of issues, such as the governor’s Charter School Task Force and multiple workgroups convened by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Zazueta grew up the son of Mexican immigrants in Perris, Calif. He earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California.

He worked in the State Legislature before joining the Governmental Relations Office at Los Angeles Unified School District. During his time at LAUSD from 2007-2015, Zazueta served as Director of the Office of Governmental Relations and Chief of External Affairs, where he directed the implementation of the district’s first Local Control and Accountability Plan. He has also served as a college professor; legislative assistant in the Washington, D.C., office of California Gov. Gray Davis; legislative consultant for California Sen. Denise Moreno; and as an analyst for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans during the George W. Bush administration.

“I’m humbled by the opportunity and trust the ACSA Board of Directors has placed in me,” Zazueta said. “I’m excited to support our great education leaders and ACSA staff and look forward to spearheading the next chapter for our organization.”

Dr. Edgar Zazueta has been selected as the new executive director of the Association of California School Administrators.

Edgar Zazueta, current ACSA Vice President Parvin Ahmadi and former ACSA Executive Director Wes Smith at a rally for education funding held at the Capitol in 2019.