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Arturo Delgado, Ed.D.
Superintendent
              

County Superintendent of Schools


Arturo Delgado, Ed.D., was appointed Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools by the Board of Supervisors effective July 1, 2011, designating him as the top education leader of the nation’s most populous and diverse county. As county superintendent, he is responsible for ensuring the financial and academic stability of 80 K-12 school districts, which serve more than two million preschool and school-age children.

Previously superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District for 11 years, Dr. Delgado now serves as chief executive officer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and as secretary to the County Board of Education. Among his top priorities is to improve educational programs and opportunities provided by LACOE to youth detained in the county's juvenile detention facilities.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dr. Delgado began his education career more than 30 years ago as a bilingual teacher in the Baldwin Park and Rowland Unified School Districts. He has received numerous awards for institutional and community leadership, including Educator of the Year by Hispanic Heritage Magazine.

Executive Cabinet


Click on an image to view a cabinet member's profile.


  • Joseph
    Joseph Ybarra, Ph.D.
    Deputy Superintendent

    Joseph Ybarra, Ph.D., Deputy Superintendent


    Joseph Ybarra joined LACOE in Aug. 2010 as assistant superintendent of Human Resource Services, and was promoted to the post of deputy superintendent in Sept. 2011. His wide-ranging professional experience includes six years as Little Lake City SD's assistant superintendent of Personnel Services, and an earlier assignment as director of Human Resources for Newport-Mesa USD in Orange County. Previously he was a teacher, assistant principal and principal in the Norwalk-La Mirada USD. Dr. Ybarra holds a doctorate in urban educational administration from Claremont Graduate University, a master’s in educational administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor’s from California State University, Fullerton.
  • Vibiana
    Vibiana M. Andrade
    General Counsel

    Vibiana M. Andrade, General Counsel


    Vibiana M. Andrade previously served as a Los Angeles deputy city attorney. Prior to that, she was with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, serving as the attorney in charge of legal programs, public policy and community outreach. She also has worked as a lawyer for California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. and the National Labor Relations Board. Ms. Andrade holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School.
  • Cuauhtemoc
    Cuauhtemoc Avila, Ed.D.
    Asst. Supt.
    Educational Programs

    Cuauhtemoc Avila, Ed.D., Asst. Supt.
    Educational Programs


    Cuauhtémoc Avila came to LACOE in July of 2012, bringing with him a diverse set of K-12 educational experiences. During the past five years he served as director of Educational Services and principal of Alternative Education in Glendale USD. Prior to Glendale, he worked in Compton USD as a high school principal, middle school principal, elementary principal, curriculum specialist and middle school teacher. Dr. Avila holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.

  • Yolanda
    Yolanda M. Benitez
    Asst. Supt.
    Educational Services

    Yolanda M. Benitez, Asst. Supt.
    Educational Services


    Yolanda M. Benitez was named assistant superintendent of Educational Services in April 2012. She previously served as LACOE's director of Parent and Community Services and the Williams Legislation Implementation Project. Ms. Benitez has an extensive background in education: high school teacher, elementary principal, special education principal, director of special projects, assistant superintendent and superintendent (a position she held for eight years). Early in her career, she also served as curriculum coordinator for the Riverside County Office of Education.
  • Alex
    Alex Cherniss, Ed.D.
    Chief Business Officer

    Alex Cherniss, Ed.D., Chief Business Officer


    Alex Cherniss was appointed Chief Business Officer in March 2012. He comes to LACOE from the Beverly Hills USD, where he served as assistant superintendent for Business Services. He joined Beverly Hills in 2000, serving as math instructor, assistant principal, principal and director of Human Resources. Dr. Cherniss received his bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara, his master's in educational administration from Pepperdine University and his doctorate in Urban K-12 Schools from USC. He received his school business certification through FCMAT's Chief Business Official Program. 
  • Rodney
    Rodney Freudenberg, Ph.D.
    Director of Classified Personnel

    Rodney Freudenberg, Ph.D., Director of Classified Personnel


    Rodney Freudenberg joined LACOE as director of the Personnel Commission in October 2007. He previously served as an assistant personnel director for the Los Angeles USD for five years. He has also served as corporate manager of organizational effectiveness at Hughes Electronics, head of Personnel Assessment and Research for the County of Los Angeles and assistant professor at Purdue University. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Colorado, and his Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from Colorado State University.
  • Frank
    Frank Kwan
    Communications Director

    Frank Kwan, Communications Director


    Frank Kwan is a veteran communications professional. He was with NBC-Channel 4 in Los Angeles for 18 years before joining LACOE in 1993. He was an executive producer, director and on-air host for news and documentaries. He also held positions at KCOP-TV, KABC radio and KFWB radio.
  • Gregory
    Gregory Lindner
    Chief Technology Officer

    Gregory Lindner, Chief Technology Officer


    Gregory Lindner joined LACOE in January 2013 after serving as director of Technology Services for Elk Grove USD for 13 years. In that position, he managed a budget of $16 million and a staff of 55 who were responsible for programming, networking, technology integration and desktop support. He also previously held the positions of chief of the Information Systems Office, Education Technology and Information Management Division of the California Department of Education, and director of Information and Technology Services for Yolo County Superintendent of Schools in Woodland, Calif.
  • Darren
    Darren McDuffie, Ed.D.
    Asst. Supt.
    Human Resources

    Darren McDuffie, Ed.D., Asst. Supt.
    Human Resources


    Darren McDuffie joined LACOE in January 2012, after having served two years as the executive director of personnel for the Capistrano USD in Orange County. Previously, Dr. McDuffie served as an assistant principal and principal for the Escondido Union High SD. Prior to becoming an administrator, he was an elementary and middle school teacher for seven years in the Garden Grove and Menifee Valley school districts. He joined the U.S. Army in 1986 and served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. He acquired his bachelor’s degree from Augsburg College, his master’s degree from Central Michigan University and his doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California.

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