Arcadia Unified board appoints Lauren Cienfuegos as chief communications officer

The Arcadia Unified School District board on May 12 appointed Lauren Cienfuegos to the newly posted chief communications officer role, effective July 1, 2026. The executive team recommended Cienfuegos after she served as the district's public information officer for the past two years.

"Lauren has been working with Arcadia Unified as the public information officer for the past 2 years," an executive introduced to the board said, noting her prior experience in Glendale Unified and her role in the district's public and media relations work. Mr. Chung moved to appoint Cienfuegos and the motion was seconded; the board voted verbally in favor and the motion carried.

Cienfuegos addressed the board after the vote: "I'm super grateful. I feel really lucky to have landed here in Arcadia. It's just the best place to be, and I'm excited to continue this work." She introduced family members in the audience and accepted a board photo opportunity.

The board recorded the motion as made by Mr. Chung and seconded by Mrs. Vargo; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. The appointment was listed on the agenda under action items and was approved during the meeting's action item sequence. The district said the appointment's effective date is July 1, 2026.

The new chief communications officer will inherit responsibilities that included external messaging, media relations and coordination of district communications during events and emergencies.