Carmella Franco

Appointed in May 2010 by the State Board of Education to serve as the State Trustee for the Alisal Union School District and having recently completed her assignment after two years, Dr. Carmella S. Franco culminates over 35+ years of educational service to children and their communities. In selecting Dr. Franco, the State Board of Education recognized her expertise in working successfully with districts facing difficult challenges, mobilizing them towards a common goal. Her mantra has been “I will do anything I can to see that students receive the quality education they deserve.” At the same time, she has supported employees to join her in seeing that that, indeed, occurs.

Dr. Franco taught and began her administrative career in the Rowland Unified School District, served as a Principal in Grades K through 8 in Bassett Unified School District, and headed the Personnel Department in the Lennox School District. Dr. Franco was selected as Superintendent of the Whittier School District in 1996, serving 12 years at the helm of that district before retiring in 2008. Retirement was short-lived, however, as she began an Interim Superintendency in the Woodland Joint Unified School District located outside of Sacramento, the very next day. That assignment lasted nearly one year, through June 2009.

In addition to serving the students, she has been committed to working for the professional good of colleagues in organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Dr. Franco sits on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Whittier and is the incoming 2012-13 President of the Whittier Rotary Club. Her prior Rotary experience included serving as President of the LAX International Airport Rotary Club. At the state level, Dr. Franco currently serves as one of the Directors of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Superintendents Academy. She has served as President of a number of organizations, including California City School Superintendents and the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators.

Dr. Franco is an alumna of California State University, Los Angeles, where she graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Music as well as a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and also earned two credentials. Her Doctorate in non-traditional negotiation methods was received from the University of La Verne where she has lectured for the doctoral program and for the Educational Administration Department.

Most recently, Dr. Franco was featured in the book titled “Latinas in the Workplace” by Lopez-Mulnix, Wolverton, and Zaki, Copyright 2011 by Stylus Publishing, LLC. A book co-authored by Dr. Franco, Dr. Maria Ott, and Dr. Darline Robles titled “A Culturally Proficient Society Begins in School: Leadership for Equity” was published in September 2011 by Corwin. Dr. Franco and her colleagues are in the process of conducting presentations and book signings locally and nationally.