Second-largest school district in Pierce Co. announces superintendent finalists
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Search now proceeds with two finalists after one withdrew.
- Forums set 6–7 p.m. at Ferrucci Jr. High; feedback accepted online.
- Board will negotiate contract and approve salary in public meeting.
The Puyallup School District has narrowed down the search for its new superintendent to just three people.
The district — which is the second-largest in Pierce County and sixth-largest in Washington state — has two finalists in the running. According to the district’s website, these are:
- Rebekah Kim, who serves as the associate superintendent of Teaching and Learning in the Kent School District. The district said Kim’s career includes “district leadership roles in Kent and Highline Public Schools, as well as service as an elementary principal and classroom teacher.” They said she is known “for her focus on equity, instructional improvement, and supporting strong teaching and learning systems” and has a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University.
- Kevin Alfano, who has been the superintendent of Fife Public Schools since 2014. On the website, the district said he has nearly 30 years of experience, with his career in Fife spanning many roles, including assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal and dean of students. The district said he is known for “collaborative leadership, strong community partnerships, and a focus on improving student outcomes while maintaining long-term financial stability.” Alfano has a superintendent certificate from Seattle University and is “completing his doctorate in educational leadership at Pacific Lutheran University.”
In the initial announcement on March 2, the district also had a third candidate, Gabriel Trujillo, who is the superintendent for the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. He was previously the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction and has previously served as a principal, assistant principal and teacher in the Phoenix Union High School District. He has a doctorate in educational administration from Arizona State University.
One day later, on March 3, the district announced that Trujillo has removed his name from the list.
“After careful consideration, Dr. Gabriel Trujillo (finalist #3), has withdrawn his candidacy for the superintendent position and elected to remain in his current position for personal reasons,” the district said on its website. “The Puyallup School District Board of Directors will proceed with two finalists in the selection process. Final interviews will conclude on Wednesday evening, and the Board anticipates making its decision following the conclusion of the final interview.”
Kim, and Alfano are vying for the seat of former superintendent John Polm, who retired in June 2025 after being with the district for nearly five years. Deputy/assistant superintendent Richard Lasso has served as the interim superintendent for the 2025-2026 school year.
In an interview with The News Tribune, PSD spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said the district will decide a salary for the new superintendent after they select a candidate.
“That compensation for the new superintendent, their contract, will be approved by the school board in a public meeting,” Gillispie said. “After the school board selects a candidate, they will enter into our contract negotiations.”
According to state records, this is what Polm made:
- 2024-2025 school year: $298,077
- 2023-2024 school year: $358,570
- 2022-2003 school year: $330,570
- 2021-2022 school year: $312,545
- 2020-2021 school year: $274,592
The News Tribune asked Gillispie how the district narrowed down the search to the finalists.
“The Board of Directors conducted a thorough and structured selection process in partnership with Northwest Leadership Associates, a professional search firm. Following a nationwide search and candidate screening process, the Board held preliminary interviews in late February,” Gillispie wrote in an email. “This included special board meetings with executive sessions on February 26, 27, and 28 to carefully evaluate candidates. Based on that process, the Board identified and announced three finalists on the morning of March 2.”
Public comment
The finalists will visit the district this week, with Kim on March 3 and Alfano on March 4.
“Finalists will participate in a full day of meetings and school visits, concluding with a staff and community forum,” the district’s website says.
To submit questions for consideration in the public forum, residents can complete a survey on the district’s website by 5 p.m. on Monday. To deliver feedback for a specific candidate, residents can visit puyallupsd.org/about-us/superintendent-search between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the day of their forum and click the candidate’s picture for a feedback link and QR code.
Each community public forum will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ferrucci Junior High on the candidates’ respective date.
Every public forum will be livestreamed, the website says. The livestream links are on the superintendent search page.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include the news that Gabriel Trujillo has withdrawn his name for consideration.
This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 2:59 PM.
