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Anakaren Cárdenas Ureño Director of Communications Laguna Beach Unified School District Laguna Beach, Calif. Nominated by: California School Public Relations Association
Anakaren Cárdenas Ureño’s leadership in Laguna Beach Unified School District is a testament to how strategic communication can unify, inspire and move an organization forward. Since stepping into the role of director of communications and engagement in 2022, Cárdenas Ureño has helped reshape the district’s communications into a clear, cohesive and inclusive system—strengthening trust, clarity and engagement across students, staff and the broader school community.
Guided by a deep understanding of both communication theory and community context, Cárdenas Ureño led the development of a districtwide strategic communications framework designed to combat disjointed messaging and rebuild post-pandemic connection. The result: an aligned system that now guides messaging across schools, departments and the community—ensuring that families understand not just what is happening in the district, but why.
Under her leadership, parent satisfaction with communication rose by 22 percentage points, staff familiarity with the district’s Learner Profile climbed to 94%, and community newsletter subscriptions grew by nearly 20%. “She bridges divides, builds trust and enhances transparency—all while keeping the community at the center of her work,” said school board member Dr. James Kelly.
Cárdenas Ureño's leadership reflects both conceptual rigor and deep empathy. In a small, high-performing district where strong individual opinions often shape dialogue, she has fostered alignment through consistency and thoughtful engagement—especially during sensitive moments involving safety, discipline or academic performance. Her reframing of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) as a transparent, community-facing tool helped deepen understanding of district goals and encouraged more meaningful input from parents and caregivers.
As a first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrants, Cárdenas Ureño draws from personal experience in navigating complex systems—fueling her commitment to inclusive, accessible communication practices. Her leadership on NSPRA’s Communication Equity and Diversity Task Force supports nationwide efforts to build more inclusive and anti-racist school communication practices. Locally, she mentors students, leads fundraising messaging for the district foundation and builds relationships with families, media, and civic partners to promote trust and collaboration.
“Anakaren lights up every room she enters,” said former Laguna Beach USD Superintendent Dr. Jason Viloria. “She goes above and beyond in everything she does—from supporting the superintendent to classroom teachers.”
Cárdenas Ureño is also a sought-after presenter and thought leader, having delivered strategy-focused sessions at national and state school communication conferences on topics such as media crisis response and integrated communication systems. Her CalSPRA presentation on media relations received a 4.9/5 average rating and was praised as “a powerhouse of wisdom and energy.”
From high-level strategy to day-to-day implementation, Anakaren Cárdenas Ureño models excellence in school communication—grounded in data, lifted by purpose and deeply rooted in service to others.