Dr. Kimberlie Linz is set to take the helm at Manhattan Beach Unified on July 1, 2026, returning to a district she knows from the inside. Her nearly three decades in education include ten years as a site principal in Manhattan Beach and a stint as El Segundo Unified’s chief business official. She steps into the superintendent’s chair just as the district confronts tight finances and planned staff reductions, putting clear budget communication and community outreach at the top of her immediate to-do list.
The board formally named Dr. Kimberlie Linz its finalist in a press release from the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. Board President Tina Shivpuri said, "We are privileged to bring forward Dr. Linz, a leader who embodies those shared priorities and a strong vision for MBUSD’s future."
Longtime local leader with finance chops
Linz’s resume runs from classroom to central office. She started out as a special education teacher in Arizona, then moved to Beverly Hills Unified, where she served as a teacher, math coach and assistant principal before coming to Manhattan Beach. She later spent a decade leading Pacific Elementary and Manhattan Beach Middle School as principal, as reported by Easy Reader. In 2018 she headed to El Segundo to become chief business official and went on to help oversee a $92 million bond program there, according to the El Segundo Unified School District.
Budget reality will be first order of business
The district has already signed off on a potential reduction of 58.85 full-time equivalent positions and is staring at a parcel-tax polling gap that complicates any quick fixes, a fiscal backdrop local reporting says will shape the new superintendent’s agenda. The superintendent posting lists a starting salary of $325,000 for the role, per the EdJoin listing. In coverage of the budget debate, one local official has described the situation as "bleak, and getting bleaker."
Transition and what comes next
MBUSD has said Linz will work closely with outgoing Superintendent Dr. John Bowes and the district cabinet to ensure a smooth handoff ahead of her July 1 start, pending final contract details. Bowes announced his retirement last November and said he planned to serve through the end of the school year on June 30, 2026, according to local reporting from The MB News.
