Candidate statements for ACSA Office

Association of California School Administrators

February 6, 2023

ACSA leaders will be voting for two officers at the May Leadership Assembly: ACSA Vice President and ACSA Vice President for Legislative Action. The office of vice president puts the holder in the line of succession to ultimately become the ACSA President, as the following year they will become the president-elect, and subsequently president in 2025-26. The office of vice president for legislative action is a two-year term and helps shape the legislative agenda for ACSA. The following are statements from the two candidates for ACSA vice president and two candidates for ACSA Vice President for Legislative Action.

Candidates for Vice President

Daryl Camp, Ed.D., Superintendent, San Lorenzo USD, Region 6

As a longtime ACSA member, I humbly ask for your support in my desire to serve as the vice president for ACSA in 2023-24.

Listening, Learning and Leading. We are ACSA. After being actively involved in ACSA for several years, I’ve learned that California is a very diverse state. ACSA’s Strategic Plan considers this diversity in attempting to support school administrators who serve each and every student in California. Listening to you, ACSA members and partners, is critical to leading and is my commitment to you. Understanding the various perspectives of charters, regions as well as committees and councils is necessary in order to advocate for each and every student in California.

Learning from and with you is, and has always been, a commitment. We are in the education business and learning is the cornerstone of education. We need to be committed to Listening and Learning in order to Lead effectively.

Leading as a collaborative educational servant is a lifetime commitment. As a longtime ACSA member and a contributor to the development of the strategic plan, I am committed to connecting the dots to support each and every student. Together, I look forward to leading ACSA into the future.

Julie Vitale, Ph.D., Superintendent, Oceanside USD, Region 18

I am committed to promoting equity, inclusion, and support for public education and for all students in California.

Every student deserves equal access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. It is our duty as school administrators to ensure that this is the case by providing resources and support that meet the needs of all students. This includes addressing issues of poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to resources that disproportionately affect students from marginalized communities.

Additionally, I am also committed to continuing the culture of inclusivity and respect within ACSA. This means ensuring that all members feel valued and heard, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, background or size of district. By fostering a culture of inclusivity, we can better understand and address the unique challenges faced by different districts, and work together to find solutions that work for all students.

Finally, I strongly support public education and its role in providing equal opportunities for all students. Public education is the backbone of our society, and it is our responsibility as school administrators to ensure that our schools are well-funded, well-staffed, and equipped with the resources they need to provide the highest quality education.

Candidates for Vice President for Legislative Action

Dana Carter, Principal, Yucaipa Adult School, Yucaipa-Calimesa JUSD, Region 12

ACSA — Giving every student a voice!

ACSA members reflect the diversity of our state. Our homes, places of employment, and communities range from staunchly conservative to staunchly liberal. Despite our differences, we all share a common thread: a desire to advocate for students’ best interests.

Throughout my 16 years as an ACSA member, I have witnessed ACSA’s positive impact as a voice for all students. I’ve served as Region 12 and YMT Charter VPLA, representing our members and students to our representatives locally, in Sacramento, and in Washington, D.C. Recent redistricting gives our members the opportunity to increase and broaden their influence by working with new legislators.

As your VPLA, I will work to advance the interest of ACSA and the students we serve. I will stand with our region’s VPLAs in carrying out ACSA’s work by advocating for students’ best interests and supporting the development and empowerment of equity-minded educational leaders.

I am asking for your vote to be our Vice President for Legislative Action so that I can continue to ensure that the voices of our students and members are heard by our state and federal legislative members.

Gina Acosta Potter, Ed.D., Superintendent, San Ysidro ESD, Region 18

Lift Up Education!

It is an honor to serve as the current ACSA State Vice President for Legislative Action! Our VPLA team led the largest delegation of members in the 2022 Legislative Action Days event since 1979! This remarkable legislative advocacy effort resulted in the state’s largest financial investment in education in over a decade, attendance relief, safeguarding local control for the LCFF and LCAP, returning educators to educating, protecting pensions from STRS audits, and more!

As the former Chair of the Legislative Policy Committee and President of the Business Services Council, I offer extensive educational policy experience in working with numerous state legislative leaders and analyzing hundreds of state educational legislative bills.

Now is the time to unite as educational leaders to lift up education! Together our educational advocacy efforts will be noteworthy and will restore confidence and trust in our state’s public education system.

Having served in education for over 30 years as a Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Chief Business Official, Principal and Teacher, I proudly dedicate my life to serving students. As an ACSA member for over 20 years, I am deeply committed to ensuring ACSA continues to be the “driving force of education” in California.