Baldwin Park Unified Introduces New Assistant Director, Principals

Gale Lee, who has more than 25 years of experience in adult education, was selected to serve as the BPACE Assistant Director. Lee began his career as an adult education teacher at Redondo Beach Unified School District, and for the last six years has worked as a program coordinator and assistant principal at Rowland Adult and Community Education.
 
Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics and Spanish from UCLA and a Master of Arts in educational administration from CSU Dominguez Hills.  
 
Lupe Anaya will serve as the assistant principal for Walnut Elementary School. Anaya started her career as a Dual Language teacher at Tracy Elementary School in 1998. In 2016, she transitioned to a resource teacher at Walnut, and has served in various positions that include, intervention teacher on special assignment and interim principal.  Anaya earned a Master of Arts in education and educational leadership from Azusa Pacific University.   
 
Yvette Erickson was selected to serve as assistant principal at Geddes Elementary School. For the last 24 years, she has worked in the District in various roles including teacher, interim principal and curriculum technology intervention coach (CTIC).  Erickson is a first-generation student and earned a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from California University, Los Angeles, a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from Chapman University and a Master of Arts in educational administration from Concordia University.  
 
Sam-Ana Fenwick will serve as the assistant principal at Tracy Elementary. She has worked at Tracy as a teacher for 22 years, and over the last four years she served as the school’s CTIC. Prior to working at Baldwin Park Unified, Fenwick worked as a teacher for six years in East Los Angeles. She now serves alongside Tracy Principal Dr. Laura Rodriguez, who supervised Fenwick while she was a student-teacher at Walnut Elementary. Fenwick earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Azusa Pacific University, and an administrative credential and Master’s Degree from Cal Poly.  
 
Rocio Gamino will take on the role of assistant principal at Foster Elementary School. Gamino started as an instructional aide in the District 28 years ago, and since has worked as a Dual Language and SEI teacher. She also has served as a resource teacher, intervention teacher on special assignment and assistant principal. Gamino graduated with a Bachelor of Science in child development from Cal State Fullerton, a Master’s degree in school administration and a Master’s in education from Azusa Pacific University.
 
Emma Rodarte will serve as assistant principal at both Bursch and Margaret Heath elementary schools. She has worked in the District for 10 years in several positions, including teacher, technology and writing coach, intervention teacher on special assignment and interim CTIC.  Rodarte is a first-generation student and she earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from UC Riverside, a Master’s in educational leadership with an administrative credential from Cal Poly Pomona. She also attended the University of La Verne while completing her multiple subject credential.
 
Adriana Urbina was selected to serve the Kenmore Elementary School community as assistant principal. Urbina, who has worked in Baldwin Park Unified for 27 years, started her career as a Dual Language teacher at Foster Elementary. During her time, she has served as an interim resource teacher, a District office curriculum specialist, assistant principal at Geddes and Margaret Heath, and as an intervention teacher on special assignment at Kenmore Elementary.  Urbina is a first-generation student and earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a Spanish minor/authorization and Master of Arts in education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction Option Design Based Learning from Cal Poly Pomona.  
 
Yesenia E. Valerio will serve as assistant principal at Central and Pleasant View elementary schools. She has worked in the District for 19 years, and has taken on the roles of health aide, behavior aide, AVID tutor, instructional aide, and special education teacher at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
 
Valerio also worked as a teacher on special assignment, program administrator for the special education department and interim assistant principal at Jones Middle School. A first-generation student, Valerio earned a Bachelor’s in liberal studies from California State University Los Angeles and a Master’s from Concordia University. She also holds an educational specialist credential as well as an administrative credential.
 
Michelle Zamarripa was selected to serve the De Anza Elementary School community as assistant principal. Zamarripa has worked with the District for 26 years, working as a teacher and CTIC. During her time in BPUSD, she has worked directly with every sector of the De Anza Elementary community.  Zamarripa earned a Master of Arts in teaching from National University and completed her preliminary administrative service credential through Cal Poly Pomona.