Transitions
July 21, 2025
ACSA is pleased to announce two new membership recruiters who will help elevate the association’s local recruitment efforts.
Tim Gill has been hired as a recruiter in Region 4 and Mary O’Neill Grace as a recruiter in Region 17.
Gill, who retired as Assistant Superintendent Education Services from Konocti USD, brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience, having served in many leadership roles with ACSA including as Region 4 treasurer, as a representative on the Member Services Committee and as Region 4’s representative on the ACSA Board of Directors. With his strong belief in the value of ACSA membership and his roots in the region, Gill is uniquely positioned to enhance collaboration between ACSA’s state office and Region 4 leaders.
O’Neill, a retired assistant superintendent from Anaheim Elementary School District, has a long history of school leadership and service to ACSA. She has been an ACSA member since 2000 and previously served as the Region 17 Director of Member Services (2012-14). She also served as a member of the ACSA Board of Directors from 2015-17 and the Equity Committee from 2020-22. This role will allow O’Neill to continue her commitment to developing new administrators by connecting them to the support and resources available through ACSA membership.
Dr. Kirsten Vital Brulte has officially begun her tenure as superintendent of the Grossmont Union High School District following her appointment by the board in June.
Vital Brulte most recently served for eight years as Superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District. Under her leadership, CUSD reopened classrooms earlier than the majority of California districts and implemented robust math and literacy initiatives that mitigated COVID-era learning loss. The district also earned back-to-back Golden Bell Awards (2021 and 2022) from the California School Boards Association for “promoting academic excellence,” in addition to tripling enrollment in Career Technical Education programs, modernizing facilities, and strengthening student wellness programs.
Vital Brulte’s journey to educational leadership began at her childhood kitchen table, where conversations with her educator parents sparked a lifelong commitment to public service. She began her career in 1994 as a classroom teacher at Whittier High School and went on to serve as an assistant principal and co-principal at Santa Monica High School. Her leadership trajectory includes roles as director at Los Angeles USD, associate superintendent of Oakland Unified (chief of Community Accountability), and superintendent of Alameda USD.
Among the high-impact initiatives that closed achievement gaps, reduced suspensions, and improved student outcomes across these districts, Vital Brulte led districtwide literacy and math efforts in Alameda, accelerating learning for historically underserved students; improved attendance and cut suspensions significantly in Oakland Unified; and boosted elementary reading and writing scores by 12 percent in her Los Angeles Unified local districts.
Vital Brulte earned a B.A. in English from Northeastern University, an M.A. in Education from Whittier College, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California.
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