OUSD Welcomes New Chief of Staff With Previous Experience Working with County Superintendent

Dr. Denise Saddler taking over as Interim Superintendent as Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell exits the Superintendent’s office is not the only major change in District Leadership underway now. The District also now has a new Chief of Staff, one of the highest ranking positions in leadership. As current Chief of Staff, Dr. Dexter Moore, Jr. transitions to a new leadership role on the other side of the country, OUSD has brought in a new Chief of Staff with decades of education experience, including as a former Chief of Staff to an Alameda County Superintendent of Schools. Dan Bellino fully took over the role as of July 1.

Bellino is an accomplished education leader with more than 21 years of experience from the classroom to the board room. He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Student Programs at the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE). In that role, he primarily supported ACOE’s Court Schools, driving systems integration and improved coordination among the multiple county agencies that serve the youth at the Juvenile Justice Center. Additionally, Dan supported the teams at ACOE-operated community schools who serve parenting teen students, youth who are expelled from a school district, and young adults previously disconnected from school.

Prior to that role, Bellino served as Chief of Staff under former County Superintendent L. Karen Monroe for 8 years. Throughout his tenure as Chief of Staff, Bellino helped provide stability for ACOE staff and operations during significant leadership transitions across the agency.

Bellino began his career in public education as a fourth grade classroom teacher at PS 87 in The Bronx, New York where he also started the non-profit Bronx Flash Track Club to help increase student and community engagement and provide increased physical activity opportunities for youth throughout the Bronx. He also worked for the New York City Department of Education’s Office of School Wellness Programs, focused on addressing the childhood obesity epidemic and supporting comprehensive health education. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Boston College and Master’s Degrees in Elementary Education and School District Leadership from Mercy College in New York.

Dr. Dexter Moore, Jr. is leaving OUSD to take the role of Chief Operating Officer at Providence Public School District in Rhode Island. The Oakland native served as Chief of Staff under Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell after coming to OUSD as a fellow from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He also previously taught in Oakland. We wish Dr. Moore the best in his future endeavors and we welcome Dan Bellino to the District!

The new Superintendent and Chief of Staff are joining a Senior Leadership Team that has a great deal of stability. Remaining in their positions are Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sondra Aguilera, Chief Business Officer Lisa Grant-Dawson, Chief Systems and Services Officer Preston Thomas, General Counsel Jenine Lindsey, Chief Talent Officer Tara Gard, and Chief Partnerships Officer Curtiss Sarikey.