LBUSD Employee Spotlight

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Angel Garcia, Secretary at Madison. 

Angel Garcia is the kind of person every school needs, and every community deserves.

For the past four years at Madison, Angel has brought calm, clarity, and care to every interaction. He supports students, families, and staff with a quiet confidence and a genuine commitment to service.

Angel began his work as an IOA at Roosevelt Elementary School, then was promoted to Staff Secretary in the EEP Office, where he supported the VIPS desk, and his potential soon stood out. When extra support was needed in the elementary office, he stepped in without hesitation and quickly became indispensable. Recognizing his talent and heart for service, he was encouraged to pursue the Elementary Office Supervisor role. Within a year, he earned it and has since become a cornerstone of the Madison community.

What sets Angel apart is how he shows up. He is deeply knowledgeable, approachable, and grounded. Families trust him. When concerns arise, they know they will be heard, respected, and guided with care. He creates an environment where people feel welcomed and valued.

“He’s the kind of steady presence every school relies on, and every family remembers,” said Kimala Farmer, Senior Executive Secretary in the Chief Business & Financial Office. “He represents the very best of who we are as a District.”

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Stephanie Perez, Special Education Department Head at Jordan High School

Stephanie Perez is driving what effective teaching and support should look like at Jordan High School.

As Department Head in Special Education, she is focused on a clear priority: ensuring the co-teaching model works for teachers and students, while simultaneously strengthening systems, aligning instruction, and expanding supports across classrooms. She brings together general and special education, aligning different skills and needs so that every student, with or without a disability, has the support to succeed.

Her leadership extends beyond the classroom.

Stephanie is helping lead Jordan’s implementation of the District’s Breakthrough Success Community (BTSC) initiative, where teachers and support staff work in alignment to ensure students, especially 9th graders, receive intentional support. That includes building strong relationships, completing assignments, and passing classes using research-based approaches that keep students on track for graduation and A–G completion.

And the results are showing.

At the March 18 Board of Education Workshop, Stephanie co-presented on a significant increase in the percentage of Black/African American students earning A, B, or C grades in math during the first semester of this school year.

This is what it looks like when leadership, instruction, and support come together, on purpose.

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The Entire Special Education Team at McBride

Every day, across McBride, a remarkable team is quietly transforming lives.

Its Special Education team works tirelessly to ensure every student, regardless of need, has equitable access to learning in an inclusive, supportive environment where they are seen, challenged, and empowered to grow.

In close partnership with general education teachers, they strengthen classroom practice, hold high expectations, and ensure every student is progressing, growing, and being held accountable for their success.

What sets them apart is ownership.

They track data. They reflect. They adjust. And they do whatever it takes to meet each student where they are and move them forward.

Their work is deeply personal. They are committed to preparing students for school and for life, ensuring they are ready for college, career, and independence.

Behind this impact is a team of dedicated educators: Manuel Saghbazarian, D’Anna Zamora, Susan Beech-Willis, Carrie Marie Holmes, and Matt Harden, alongside an exceptional group of instructional aides whose daily support is critical to student success.

As one team, they are building confidence, unlocking potential, and changing trajectories.

This is what commitment looks like. This is what impact feels like. And this is a team worthy of recognition.

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Jeffrey Riel, General Counsel

In the bustling environment of Long Beach Unified School District, one name consistently stands out for his unwavering dedication and expertise: Jeffrey Riel. As our General Counsel, Jeffrey is the backbone of our District’s legal integrity and operations.

His role is multifaceted and demanding. He seamlessly navigates complex negotiations with TALB and CSEA, ensuring agreements are fair and beneficial to all parties. His attention to detail ensures that our District remains transparent and compliant with all legal requirements. He leads Board prep meetings and plays an instrumental role in Board of Education meetings, ensuring clear alignment and effective decision-making.

In addition to managing legal affairs, he integrates his expertise across departments. He works closely with the Communications Department to ensure all public-facing materials are legally sound and the District’s public image is protected. He leads Board preparation and supports Board of Education and facilities meetings, ensuring clarity, alignment, and sound decision-making. Jeffrey is consistently available to support principals and partners across departments, helping move critical work forward while navigating complex legal matters that keep the District secure and advancing.

Jeffrey’s commitment to LBUSD and his work ethic make him one of the hardest-working individuals in our District. Beyond his professional excellence, Jeffrey’s presence is something to behold. Known for his effortless style and charm, he brings a sense of calm, sophistication, and warmth to the office. His office, adorned with family photos by the water, reflects his love for both his family and the serene, natural world.

Thank you, Jeffrey, for being the District’s legal guardian.

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Sandra Olmedo-Richardson, Millikan Intervention Coordinator

When Millikan High School was named a 2026 California Distinguished School, it reflected the work of many, but few shaped that success more profoundly than Sandra Olmedo-Richardson.

As Intervention Coordinator, Sandra led with an unwavering belief: every student carries strengths worth building on. She turned that belief into action by designing and implementing asset-based systems that transformed staff collaboration and redefined how students experienced success. Her impact was especially evident in advancing outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and Multilingual Learners, helping close long-standing equity gaps and ensuring more students saw themselves as capable, supported, and successful.

Sandra passed away unexpectedly in April 2025, a loss felt deeply across the Millikan community. Yet her legacy is not confined to memory; it lives in the systems she built, the relationships she nurtured, and the culture of high expectations and care she championed. Every day, teachers, counselors, and staff carry her vision forward in their work with students.

To be recognized as a California Distinguished School is an honor. Knowing that honor is rooted in Sandra’s dedication to students, especially those who are too often underserved, is her enduring legacy. Thank you, Sandra.

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Mel Prince, Nutrition Service Payroll Technician

Mel Prince’s journey with Long Beach Unified is a testament to dedication, growth, and excellence. Since joining the District in 2019 as an IA Special, she has steadily advanced through multiple roles, including substitute intermediate office assistant and school data technician, earning her current position through hard work and an unwavering commitment to getting the job done right.

Across every site she has served, Mel is known for being welcoming, inclusive, and dependable. She is the person colleagues turn to because when you ask Mel for something, it gets done. No questions! No delays! Just results! Her positive attitude is constant, her presence reassuring, and her work consistently precise.

In her role supporting payroll, Mel understands what’s at stake: people’s livelihoods. She approaches every task with care, urgency, and integrity, ensuring accuracy the first time and following through until every detail is resolved. If she doesn’t have an answer, she finds it quickly, and her follow-up is second to none.

Mel embodies consistency in its purest form: showing up, delivering excellence, and uplifting those around her in even the smallest moments.

Long Beach Unified is stronger because of Mel Prince, and today and always, we salute her.

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Michael De Four, Plant Supervisor at Browning

If you’ve been on campus for a game, a family event, or a weekend program, chances are you’ve seen him: moving quickly, greeting families, making things happen, and almost always dressed in green.

Michael De Four is a constant. The kind of person you don’t have to look for, you just know he’s there. Parents know him. Staff rely on him. And students benefit from the environment he quietly helps create every single day.

What stands out most about Michael is his pride. He takes ownership of every space he touches. Whether it’s picking up trash, setting up equipment, or making sure every detail is right, he approaches his work with care and intention because he understands something deeper: how a space feels impacts how students experience it.

Saturday, March 28, was just one example. While most were still waking up, Michael was already on campus at 6 a.m., preparing for the District's first-ever English Learner Symposium, a landmark event to celebrate the strength of its multilingual community and formally launch the District’s English Learner Master Plan. He handled the logistics, ensuring the setup was seamless, the environment was ready, and everything worked exactly as it should. No shortcuts. No complaints. Just quiet excellence.

He earns respect through consistency, humility, and action. He’s the person who makes sure things get done right. In every sense, he is a cornerstone of the Browning community. Thank you, sir!

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Troy Benett, Program Administrator at Tucker

Some leaders build programs. Others build people.

Troy Bennett does both; quietly, consistently, and with unwavering purpose.

With an engineering degree in hand, Troy could have chosen any path. Instead, he chose service. He returned to his community with a clear mission: pour into young people, especially those others have overlooked, and show them what’s possible.

At Tucker, Troy is a builder of systems that protect, uplift, and guide students who need it most. He creates structure where there is uncertainty, puts supports in place where there are gaps, and does it all with intention.

What sets Troy apart is how he shows up; he meets students where they are. He steps into tough moments on campus, in the community, wherever he’s needed.

Students trust him. They respect him, and they listen to him. Why? Because they know he’s real. He’s the kind of leader every school needs: grounded, fearless, and deeply committed to the success of every student he serves. And at his core, he remains exactly who he’s always been, a humble man doing extraordinary work.

Today, and always, we salute you, sir!