The Manhattan Beach Unified School District has identified Dr. Kimberlie “Kim” Linz as the finalist to become its next superintendent, district officials announced Monday. Her selection comes four months after current Superintendent John Bowes said he would retire at the end of the school year.

If confirmed, Linz would return to a district where she previously spent a decade as principal of both Pacific Elementary and Manhattan Beach Middle School. 

Linz’s appointment is contingent on a validation visit to her current workplace, completion of contract negotiations, and final approval by the MBUSD Board of Trustees. The board is expected to vote on her employment on April 14, with a contract vote scheduled for April 29.

She left MBUSD in 2018 to become Chief Business Official for the El Segundo Unified School District, where she has overseen major fiscal operations and led the district’s $92 million bond program.

“I am incredibly honored to be selected as the finalist to serve as the next Superintendent in Manhattan Beach," Linz said in a prepared statement. "MBUSD is a special place with a legacy of excellence, a dedicated governing board, engaged families, amazing staff, and incredible students. To have the opportunity to serve in the community that helped shape me as a leader is deeply meaningful on both a personal and professional level.”

Linz began her career nearly 30 years ago as a special education teacher in Arizona before moving to California to join the Beverly Hills Unified School District. There, she served as a general and special education teacher, math coach, and assistant principal. Colleagues in both Beverly Hills and El Segundo have described her as a thoughtful listener with a “high‑touch” leadership style that emphasizes bringing all voices to the table.

Her academic background includes a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from USC, a Master’s in Teaching from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin. She has been recognized as Business Official of the Year by both the Association of California School Administrators and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. In 2024, the El Segundo PTA Council honored her with a Very Special Person award for her work on the district’s bond program.

The superintendent search began after Bowes announced in November that he would step down on June 30. Bowes, who has served in public education for 36 years and joined MBUSD in 2021, said at the time that he wanted to give trustees “ample time to thoughtfully identify the next superintendent.”

Linz’s familiarity with Manhattan Beach schools and with her executive‑level experience in a neighboring district, appeared to be key factors in her emergence as the finalist. District leaders noted her ability to navigate both the technical and human sides of school leadership, from budget oversight to community engagement.