Debra Duardo, who dropped out of a Los Angeles public school as a teenager before going on to earn numerous degrees and specialize in educational administration, has been selected to lead the county’s Office of Education. As an administrator within the L.A. Unified school district, she has led initiatives like decreasing dropout rates and creating community partnerships. (Los Angeles Times)

John Reynolds was the newsletters editor for the Tribune from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a reporter for Quorum Report, a non-partisan online political newsletter focusing on the ins and outs under...