The third largest school district in B.C. has a new superintendent.
Today, Jan. 23, School District 43 (SD43) named Nadine Tambellini as the successor to Robert Zambrano, who retires on Feb. 15 after two-and-a-half months in the top position.
The announcement came to SD43 parents via an email. As with the departure of Zambrano, SD43 did not issue a news release about Tambellini’s promotion from assistant superintendent.
She assumes her new job on Feb. 16, 2025.
Port Coquitlam Trustee Michael Thomas, who chairs the board of education that chooses the superintendent, stated in the parents’ email that the board “has the utmost confidence in Ms. Tambellini’s leadership and is really excited to have Nadine step into the role of superintendent.”
Added Tambellini in the letter, “The key to success within our district is the relationships built with families, district staff, union partners and community members and I believe in the work we do for our students, for our schools and for our district,” she wrote. “I intend to lead with fairness, compassion and equity, remembering our main responsibility: the students in our district.”
Tambellini holds a bachelor’s degree of education and a master’s degree in educational leadership, with a focus in special education, as well as a business administration diploma.
An educator in SD43 for 35 years, Tambellini taught at and administered elementary and middle schools before being appointed a district principal of human resources.
She taught at Vanier and Nestor elementaries and Kwayhquitlum and Summit middles before transitioning to vice-principal at Glen Elementary and principal at Hillcrest Middle and Central Elementary.
In February 2023, former superintendent Patricia Gartland announced Tambellini would join the district leadership team as an assistant superintendent to replace Reno Ciolfi, who retired.
Andrea Hunter will take over Tambellini’s current role as of Feb. 1, 2025.
According to SD43's Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) released in December, Tambellini made $227,918 last year as assistant superintendent.
SD43 has more than 33,000 students enrolled in public schools in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore/Belcarra.
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