Lynne B. Kennedy

With a distinguished 40-year career in education and public service, Lynne Kennedy is a trusted leader whose work has shaped schools, communities, and regional partnerships across the Inland Empire. A lifelong advocate for students and families, Lynne's career reflects a deep commitment to educational excellence, equitable opportunity, and community advancement.

Lynne discovered her calling early in her career as a junior high mathematics teacher in the Rialto Unified School District. Her passion for helping students succeed led her to earn an administrative credential and transition into leadership roles, serving as both an assistant principal and principal. At the district level, Lynne further broadened her impact through positions as Director of Student Achievement, Associate Superintendent and ultimately Superintendent, where she championed curriculum development and strategies to elevate student outcomes.

Although she retired in 2012, Lynne's dedication to public education brought her back to serve as Executive Director of the Alliance for Education for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. In this role, she cultivated partnerships among businesses, labor, government, community organizations, and school districts through a collective impact model designed to strengthen the regional task force and enhance the quality of life for residents across San Bernardino County, Rancho Cucamonga, and the Inland Empire. She completed her second retirement in 2019, concluding four decades of service.

A proud product of the Inland Empire, Lynne graduated from San Bernardino High School, before earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from the University of Redlands, a Master’s Degree in School Administration from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation-examining Algebra as a gateway to future educational and career opportunities-earned both the Claremont Graduate University, Urban Leadership Achievement Award and the Phi Delta Kappa Dissertation of the Year award.

Lynne believes that leadership is measured not only by professional accomplishments but also by service to others. Guided by this principle, she has devoted decades to community involvement. She is a charter member of the San Bernardino Valley Chapter of The Links, Incorporated-one of the nation’s most respected volunteer service organizations-whose members collectively contribute more than 500,000 hours of community service annually.

Faith is also central to Lynne's life. In the early 1980s, she taught confirmation classes at Shepherd of The Hills Lutheran Church in Rancho Cucamonga. Today she serves on the Board of Directors and Guests Services Ministry Team at Hillside Community Church.

Now serving as Mayor Pro Tem of Rancho Cucamonga, Lynne brings a steady forward-thinking, and solutions-driven approach to city leadership. Her experience in governance, her commitment to common-sense decision-making, and her passion for community partnership guide her efforts to build a vibrant, prosperous future for the city she has proudly called home since 1980.