Derek Brown                                                   Ilean Clute

Two experienced professionals are stepping into administrative positions in the Newberg School District. 

Ilean Clute will serve as Chief Financial Officer beginning July 1, 2017. She replaces the district’s veteran CFO, Gwen Gardner, who retires in June.

Dr. Derek Brown joins the Newberg team on June 1 as Director of Data and Assessment, filling the position vacated in March by the passing of Don Staples.

“We are fortunate to have Ilean and Derek joining our team,” said Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza. “Both these individuals are well respected for their expertise and their professionalism in service of kids.”

Ilean currently serves as the Director of Business and Financial Services for the Forest Grove School District. She has worked in that role for the past two years and was previously the district’s Accounting Supervisor. Ilean has ten years of progressive accounting experience prior to working in education. She has been instrumental in helping Forest Grove stabilize financing and building a strong ending fund balance. She’s credited with updating the district’s accounting and business practices.

Ilean is a graduate of Eastern Oregon University and holds a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting.

Derek will lead the district data and assessment team. He currently provides leadership and technical assistance in data and research to school districts through the Regional Education Laboratories program at Education Northwest.

Derek served as a senior leader for six years at the Oregon Department of Education, most recently as the Assistant Superintendent for Assessment and Accountability. He has worked extensively in educational research and policy and is known for his expertise in data and assessment.  Derek spent three years in the classroom as a music and math teacher. He also brings six years of nonacademic experience as a Logistics Readiness Officer at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Derek received his Master of Arts in Teaching and Bachelor of Arts in Music from Pacific University. He earned his Ed.D. from George Fox University where he received the Greg and Judy Aldred Award for the Outstanding Dissertation in Educational Leadership for 2016.