Biography, January 2020

Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D., has been an educator for 30 years.  She is currently serving as Superintendent in the Orange Unified School District, previously having served as Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services before that. Under her leadership, Orange Unified has seen improvement in all areas of the California School Dashboard and last year was accepted to the League of Innovative Schools.

Dr. Hansen earned her B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in International Relations/Political Science from Tulane University.  Both her Masters of Science in Education and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Policy are from the University of Southern California.

During her career in education, Dr. Hansen has served as an elementary and secondary teacher, mentor teacher, assistant principal, and principal.  She has had district-level responsibilities spanning grades PreK-12. As an assistant director and director of PreK-12 Instructional Services, she implemented many educational reforms to improve student achievement.  Before coming to Orange Unified, Dr. Hansen was associate superintendent of secondary schools in a large urban district.  Her experience includes serving students of diverse populations and socioeconomic levels in both urban and suburban settings.

Dr. Hansen has developed a reputation for focusing on student learning and achievement. Her duties have included curricular/instructional innovations, organizational development, expanding the instructional leadership of principals, transitioning to the Common Core State Standards, implementation of technology integration programs, development of interventions and support programs for special populations, maximizing resources, fiscal efficiencies, School Facilities Bond implementation, and strategic planning. Dr. Hansen is committed to excellence in education and believes that all students should be provided the highest quality of education.

Dr. Hansen has been awarded numerous awards and professional recognitions throughout her career, including the prestigious State Award from the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) for Central Office Administrator of the Year in 2014, distinguishing her leadership in raising student achievement, the HALO Award from the Orange County School Nurses Organization for outstanding support for school nurses and students, and the Orange Community Council of PTA’s leadership award for volunteer service to youth.  She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Urban Education Dialogue (UED), a select group of urban superintendent’s working on cutting edge practices in public education in California. She also provides service to the Orange Rotary and is a frequent participant in leadership networks across the state.

Dr. Hansen with Taft Elementary kindergarten students on their first day of school, August 2019.

 

Orange USD Trustees Appoint Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools

Orange, CA – December 8, 2017 -Orange, CA – The Orange Unified School District Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D. as the new Superintendent of Schools.  Dr. Hansen has a rich history with Orange having served as both Deputy and Assistant Superintendent, as well as being the current Interim Superintendent for Orange USD.

Input for the new Superintendent included sessions with all stakeholder groups - administrators, staff, community groups, parents and key city and business partners. Forums were held with the constituents and an online survey was available on the District website.  Utilizing the feedback from the community, Leadership Associates, a premier executive search firm, advertised and conducted an extensive nationwide search for the position.  

The Board of Education worked with Leadership Associates Consultants Dr. Kent Bechler, Dr. Dennis Smith and Dr. Mark Ecker, to conduct the Superintendent Search and develop the candidate profile. The recruitment resulted in 36 candidate requests.  This week the Board of Trustees reviewed the 23 completed applications

The Board of Education realized that they did not need to look far to find their new Superintendent, and appointed Dr. Hansen at their regular meeting on December 7. Based on the stakeholder feedback and leadership profile, it was decided she was the best fit for Orange Unified School District.  Dr. Hansen was selected from an incredibly talented group of candidates. 

Newly Elected Board President, Dr. Alexia Deligianni-Brydges stated, ”Dr. Hansen’s leadership and commitment is tried and true. Over the past several months as the Interim Superintendent she has led the district through the opening of schools, developed a collaborative team, supported the implementation of the Facilities Bond, managed the crisis of the Canyon 2 Fire with school closures and evacuations and consistently kept the focus on student learning.  

Her past leadership as the Deputy Superintendent has resulted in the attainment of 24 California Gold Ribbon School Awards, expansion of 13 Career Technical Education pathways, innovative STEAM programs and collaborative relationships with teachers and staff resulting in numerous awards for Orange USD Schools. I look forward to working with her to promote our schools with top quality education preparing students for university, technical trades and well paid careers in the 21st Century.”

Former Board President, Rick Ledesma said, “With a proven track record of success, Dr. Hansen is an incredible asset to the District as we head into the future. She has been recognized for her excellent communication skills, ethical leadership and ability to think outside the box. As an innovator, she established the first Mandarin Immersion School in Orange County resulting in increased enrollment. 

Recently, her leadership team delivered a positive audit report to continue the stellar OUSD fiscal reputation. Dr. Hansen is a highly regarded visionary who will take OUSD to the next level. She is dedicated to the Orange community, committed long-term, and the Board of Education has great confidence in her abilities”

Dr. Hansen said, “It is a distinct honor to be selected by the OUSD Trustees as the new Superintendent.  I am excited to get to work with our team to accelerate student achievement, develop innovative opportunities for learning, and guide the implementation of the Facilities Bond.  I look forward to collaborating with our teachers, staff, students and parents to elevate the district to the next level of success”

Dr. Hansen earned her Masters and Doctorate Degree from the University of Southern California and two bachelors degrees from Tulane University.  She has been an elementary and high school teacher, mentor teacher, assistant principal, principal, curriculum director, university professor and associate, deputy and interim Superintendent.