Pasco school district picks new HR chief

With more than 10,000 employees and a $1.3 billion budget, the school district is Pasco County’s largest employer.

For the past nearly two months, it has gone without a permanent human resources director. Christine Pejot, one of superintendent Kurt Browning’s first hires back in 2008-09, left for a job with the Charlotte, N.C., school district in early August.

HR senior manager Kim Newberry, a district employee since 2010, has led the department on an interim basis. And now, pending School Board approval, she’s been picked to have the spot full time.

Newberry emerged as the top choice after officials went through close to 60 applications and conducted two rounds of interviews.

“I know HREQ has some great things in the works for our district, and Kim will do an excellent job leading the way,” assistant superintendent Kevin Shibley wrote to the School Board.

He plans to make his formal recommendation to the board on Oct. 1.