Santa Barbara school board prepares to welcome new superintendent in July

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.

The Santa Barbara Unified School Board will welcome a new superintendent after Superintendent Cary Matsuoka retires at the end of the school year.

The board voted to hire Hilda Maldonado.

Maldonado will be leaving her post as associate superintendent of leadership and partnerships in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Board President Laura Capps said she has a lot to offer local schools.

"We are thrilled by the appointment of Hilda Maldonado. She starts on July first and she will hit the ground running when it comes to dealing with this pandemic and with our equity challenges," said Capps.

Capps said she is also an English learner and a bilingual teacher.