Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Education:

State schools superintendent will take job in Sandoval’s office

Dale Erquiaga

Mikayla Whitmore

Dale Erquiaga, state superintendent of schools, on Sept. 30, 2014.

Updated Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015 | 4:06 p.m.

State Superintendent Dale Erquiaga will leave the helm of the Nevada Department of Education after two years to take a position in the office of Gov. Brian Sandoval, according to a statement released by the State Board of Education on Thursday.

Erquiaga accepted a nomination by Sandoval to become a chief strategy officer for the state, the release said. His post will be filled in the interim by Steve Canavero, who has served as Deputy Superintendent under Erquiaga's at the education department.

“Superintendent Erquiaga has provided two years of leadership building a new infrastructure at the Department of Education," said Elaine Wynn, chairwoman of the board of education, in a statement released this afternoon. "It was clear to all of us that his work on behalf of Governor Sandoval contributed to the legislative success this session, and I fully understand the Governor's assignment of Dale to this new role throughout state government."

Erquiaga, who will work on educational issues and workforce development, was a top aide to Sandoval when the governor was first elected but left the job to join his family in Arizona.

The governor did not name a permanent replacement for Erquiaga as schools chief. Erquiaga was the architect of many of the education programs espoused by the governor and passed by the Legislature.

The move was one of several staff changes in the governor’s office, which has been hit with resignations recently.

Pam Robinson, who was chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, will become the governor’s policy director working with federal government relations and natural resource issues. She is currently coordinator of the Governor’s Drought Commission.

Joe Reynolds will be promoted to general counsel for the governor from his present position as deputy. He will manage public safety, and military and regulatory agencies.

The governor also named Cesar Melgarejo as veterans policy analyst. Melgarejo has worked in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and replaces Caleb Cage, who has been named chief of the Division of Emergency Management.