APS superintendent's Cabinet looks different this school year. Here's who is in it and who left

Heading into her second school year at the helm of New Mexico’s largest school district, Superintendent Gabriella Blakey’s inner circle includes a few new faces and familiar ones in new positions.

Over half of the Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent’s Cabinet positions are staffed by someone the district hired over the summer or shuffled to a new role. Additionally, the chief of staff position was eliminated, a communications position has been modified and a new job dealing with government relations and the school board was added.

“I’m incredibly proud of the leadership team we’ve assembled. Their innovation and readiness to embrace necessary changes are key to achieving the ambitious goals set by our Board of Education,” the superintendent wrote in a statement to the Journal on Friday. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such strong leaders.”

Over the summer, Antonio Gonzales, who previously held the position of deputy superintendent for leadership and learning, transitioned to deputy superintendent for operations, taking over for Gabe Jacquez, who retired in August.

Moving into Gonzales’ old position, the district hired Randy Mahlerwein from Mesa Public Schools — the largest district in Arizona — to take over as the deputy superintendent for leadership and learning.

Another August retirement was Phill Casaus, who oversaw APS communications for roughly a year after a career spanning decades at newspapers across New Mexico and Colorado.

Upon Casaus’ retirement, the executive director of communications position was eliminated, and Johanna King — also a former journalist — became the district’s chief communications officer.

King served as Blakey’s chief of staff for her first year.

Over the summer, the district hired Daniel Manzano, a former deputy director of public affairs for the Tim Keller mayoral administration, who now serves as the district’s executive director of board services and government affairs — a new position that takes over some of the responsibilities previously entailed in the chief of staff job.

According to monitoring reports, student academic outcomes improved during Blakey’s first school year heading APS.