DENNIS McNAMARA brings a broad range of professional and community experience to the PUSD School Board race. A longtime public education advocate, he and his wife, Lynne, supported their children through public schools from kindergarten through high school. They are significant supporters of the Pasadena Educational Foundation, and believe strongly in its mission of working to achieve excellence and equity in all PUSD schools. That belief is what propels Dennis to get more involved. He recognizes the significant challenges facing the district while remaining optimistic about its future.
DENNIS UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES FACING PUSD
As chair of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee for the district’s $1.4 billion Measures O and R school modernization program, Dennis knows how important it is to be open, transparent and accountable to the community. He has led the COC to take on a more expansive role, understanding that the committee represents the eyes and ears of the taxpayers. In turn, he has seen the District respond with much more public communication.
WORKING WITH PUSD STUDENTS
For the past three years, Dennis has volunteered as a Math Power Hour tutor for second graders at Washington Elementary School. He loves teaching specific math skills, and feels very rewarded when the light bulb goes off for a student. It is a regular reminder of the primacy of classroom instruction.
A COMMITTED PASADENA COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER
Dennis has also taught finance at West Coast University, serves as a college scholarship evaluator for the Pasadena Community Foundation, and is a board member of First Tee–Greater Pasadena, a youth development organization that teaches life skills through the game of golf.
PROVEN FINANCIAL EXPERTISE TO HELP PUSD THRIVE
Professionally, Dennis enjoyed a successful career in investment management, including more than 20 years with Pasadena-based Western Asset Management, where he served in an executive leadership role overseeing budgeting, staffing, and information systems for the firm’s global investment team. His professional investment career demonstrates the qualities which he will bring to the Board: financial accumen, accountability and transparency.
A CAREER BASED ON TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Dennis has deep experience in explaining and demystifying complicated financial products and strategies to all levels of investors. He enjoyed a long tenure as the named, lead portfolio manager for institutional investment accounts (e.g. pension funds, foundations, and corporations) as well as for mutual funds for individuals. Institutional clients formally met with Dennis where he explained how and why the portfolio performed, what strategies were working, not working, and what changes, if any, were being considered. This valuable experience informs his ability to guide PUSD toward better investments in student success.
A SOLID FOUNDATION
Dennis began his career at ARCO, where he rose to become Head of Money Markets and Foreign Exchange Trading. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® and holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE
Dennis and Lynne reside in the Lower Arroyo neighborhood of West Pasadena. Lifetime advocates for public schools, they enjoy spending time with their blended family of five grown children and their eight grandchildren.