Alameda, California — May 14, 2026  —  At its May 12 public meeting, the Board of Education approved hiring Mark Segado as the new principal of Love Elementary School. Mr. Segado, who currently serves as assistant principal at the site, will take the place of Tina Lagdamen, who is leaving at the end of this school year.

Prior to joining the Love team in 2022, Mr. Segado worked as an instructional coach and social studies teacher with KIPP Public Charter Schools in New York City and KIPP King in San Lorenzo, and the Humanities Department Coach and Staff Supervisor at Leadership High School in San Francisco. 

“We are excited to have Mark join our team as a site leader,” says Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi. “With his focus on culturally responsive teaching and learning, and his understanding of Love’s mission and vision, we think he will not only continue but expand on the excellent work already happening at that site.”

Mr. Segado received both his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and his Master’s Degree in Teaching from University of San Francisco. He also earned an MA in Educational Leadership from the Principals Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley.

“I am incredibly proud to be named Principal of Love Elementary, a school that truly feels like home," he says. "This appointment is a stewardship of our collective values: excellence, belonging, and equity. I look forward to working in partnership with families and our incredible staff to create a space that amplifies the joy of childhood while maintaining high expectations and outcomes for every scholar, ensuring that Love Elementary remains a beacon of opportunity for all.”

Hiring process

AUSD takes a multi-phased approach to hiring site administrators. This process begins with a paper screen of applications and a preliminary telephone interview and then proceeds to a panel interview with members of the school community. The final two steps are an interview with AUSD senior leadership and, finally, a one-on-one interview with the superintendent, who makes the final recommendation to the Board of Education.

No one person or panel is tasked with the exclusive selection of the final candidate. Instead, each phase helps to surface different characteristics and competencies of leaders, including a candidate’s educational background, experience, community -building skills, understanding of district goals and values, and vision for instructional leadership at the site.  Ultimately, the superintendent makes a decision based on who they think will best lead students and staff in achieving the best outcomes for all.

“We thank Ms. Lagdamen for her steady leadership and advocacy at Love during her tenure,” says Board President Ryan LaLonde. “And we are excited to welcome Mr. Segado as a leader deeply grounded in equity and the importance of student and family voice. We look forward to learning from and about him.”

Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) serves more than 9600 students in Alameda, California, an island community in the San Francisco Bay Area.  For more information, please visit the AUSD website or follow @AUSDNews on Twitter or Facebook. Questions? Contact Susan Davis, Senior Manager, Community Affairs, at 510-337-7000 extension 77175.