ACSA installed its board and executive officers for the 2026-27 school year during the Leadership Assembly held May 7 in Sacramento.

The assembly of leaders representing every ACSA region as well as councils and committees gathered for the final governance meeting of the year, where delegates received training, heard updates about ACSA activities, recognized the achievements of those who are ending their terms of service, and elected new leaders for the association. Diego Ochoa, superintendent of the San Mateo-Foster City School District, was elected to ACSA vice president, putting him in line to serve as ACSA president in 2028-29. Ochoa ran unopposed.

Executive Director Edgar Zazueta provided an overview of the state of ACSA. The association’s membership — which stands at 18,565 — is strong, he said. Zazueta recognized Regions 6, 7, 9, and 17 as “bright spots” for exceeding their 2 percent membership growth goal.

ACSA advocacy has been front and center — from election-year endorsements to federal and state efforts.

“What ACSA’s voice says matters, not only here but to folks in Washington, D.C.,” Zazueta said.

He also touched upon issues facing school leaders, including work stoppages, budget cuts, AI, polarization, and student mental health, and the need for ACSA to set the agenda for how schools navigate these challenges.

“We’re really good at responding,” Zazueta said, adding that ACSA’s new goal should be “not just to respond to change, but to lead [it].”

In his last Leadership Assembly as president, Dr. Daryl Camp spoke about the leaders who set examples for him when he was a new administrator in the late 1990s. Camp said he would read EdCal and see pictures of former ACSA President Dr. Lillie Campbell, ACSA’s first female African American president.

“I wanted her to be here to let her know how much that image meant to me,” Camp said recognizing Campbell, who was in the room. “She was a role model. I don’t know if she knew it then, but I was looking at her actions, studying what she was doing, and just trying to understand, what does excellence in leadership look like?”

During his time as president, Camp was able to travel to 15 of ACSA’s 19 regions. He thanked ACSA leaders for their hospitality and generosity.

“My goal throughout the year was to represent you in a manner that would make you proud,” Camp said.

The assembly also heard a presentation from ACSA’s Member Services and Legal Support Team, former administrators who offer free legal advice to members.

“All of us have failed at retirement — we call it ‘rewirement,’” said Member Assistance Advocate Dr. Chris Downing. “But we’re available to assist you and be your thought partner and support you.”

Downing spoke about the pressures of being a public figure and that school administrators’ titles follow them long after students have gone home for the day.

“Unfortunately, you’re always under scrutiny,” he said. “Life has become a reality show — don’t be on ‘Love Island.’”

ACSA Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Professional Learning Services Dr. Tracie Noriega moderated a student panel that revealed insights on how to help students feel more belonging at school.

Students from Valley High School (Elk Grove USD) spoke about how clubs, including Sister Circle clubs and Muslim Student Associations, help them find connections and thrive. They spoke about the importance of positive relationships with teachers and how teachers perceive them.

“At every school there is a ranking system based on GPA,” said one student. “There’s a judgement placed upon you, not as a person, but as a GPA.”

ACSA’s Legacy Partner Award, which recognizes organizations that have been committed to ACSA’s mission for 25 years or more, was presented to F3 Law. F3 Law Partner Peter Fagen accepted the award from ACSA Partner4Purpose Executive Bob Lee and ACSA Deputy Executive Director Margarita Cuizon-Armelino.

Incoming ACSA President Dr. Rene Rickard was introduced by Dr. Tom McCoy, superintendent of Oxnard Union High School District. McCoy was emotional talking about the “accountability with care” that defines Rickard’s leadership.

“Rene is all about advocacy for those who need it most, in a time where our future is at risk,” he said. “Leadership matters never more than today. Rene is the leader we need.”

In her remarks, Rickard reflected on her many experiences — from her childhood in Pakistan, to her teen years spent in Bahrain and England, to her first experiences as an American, to her career as an administrator and ACSA member in regions 16 and 13.

“Every place, every challenge, every opportunity, you are all a part of me. I don’t leave those experiences behind — I bring them with me,” she said. “None of us is defined by a single title, or a single moment. We are the sum of every experience we have lived and every student we have served and then some.”

She reminded the room that belonging is not a zero-sum game — “I don’t have to be excluded in order for you to belong” — and that the strength of ACSA is found in the richness of its diverse membership.

“Let us lead in a way that creates space for us all. Let us ensure that every person in ACSA knows they belong — every single one,” she told ACSA delegation. “Let us elevate diverse voices. Make those inclusive choices for our students and for each other, and be the tenacious leaders that our students deserve.”