FONTANA, CA – Fontana Unified School District is rolling out the welcome mat for two veteran administrators who have joined the superintendent’s cabinet, bringing decades of leadership and experience in business, finance, education and fostering student achievement.

Dr. Leslie Barnes is the new Associate Superintendent of Business Services and Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois is the new Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.

“I am excited to welcome these talented and accomplished educators to Fontana Unified, and look forward to working alongside them as we enter a critical period in the educational development of our children,” Superintendent Miki R. Inbody said. “Dr. Barnes and Dr. Bourgeois bring energy and focus to their positions, and are eager to bring their expertise and fresh ideas to our District. I am confident we will take great strides forward with them on our team.”

Barnes has 28 years of experience in business administration and finances, most recently serving as chief finance and operations officer at Pasadena Unified since 2018. Prior to that, Barnes worked for nearly 20 years at Pomona Unified as the assistant director of fiscal services, director of fiscal services, business manager and associate superintendent and chief financial officer of business services.

Barnes received her doctorate in educational leadership from Cal Poly Pomona in 2015, and served as an adjunct professor for the Master of Educational Leadership program at the University of La Verne from 2019 to 2021, as well as a mentor for the USC Business Management Certificate Program in 2019.

Bourgeois comes to the District after serving as director of research, evaluation and school improvement at Corona-Norco Unified for six years. Prior to that, Bourgeois spent two years as Orange Unified’s coordinator of student assessment and educational measurement following 10 years as a high school administrator.

Bourgeois received her doctorate in philosophy of education, with an emphasis in urban leadership at Claremont Graduate University in 2012. She wrote a thesis on the implementation of gifted and talented education programs in urban elementary schools. Bourgeois has twice been selected the Association of California School Administrators’ Technology Administrator of the Year, once in 2017 for Region 17, and again in 2021 for Region 19.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

FUSD_BARNES: Dr. Leslie Barnes is Fontana Unified’s new Associate Superintendent of Business Services.

FUSD_BOURGEOIS: Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois was selected to serve as the District’s new Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.