A new superintendent has been appointed to lead Camden’s public schools, the New Jersey Department of Education announced Wednesday.
Alfonso Q. Llano Jr. was recommended to helm the Camden school district by the NJDOE, officials said.
“Mr. Llano’s distinguished career and proven leadership uniquely position him to guide Camden’s schools into their next chapter of success,” said NJDOE Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “For more than 27 years, he has advanced academic performance, expanded opportunities for all learners, and built systems that support students, families, and educators.”
Llano, who is currently the superintendent of Vineland Public Schools in Cumberland County, will begin his tenure in Camden on March 1, officials said.
“I am honored to serve the incredible Camden community and remain deeply committed to transparent, collaborative leadership,” Llano said in a statement. “I am eager to begin this work with a clear focus on ensuring every student has access to the high-quality opportunities they deserve, and I look forward to building strong partnerships that will help us achieve this shared vision.”
Llano previously served as the acting superintendent of Trenton public schools before joining the Vineland school district. He has held several different leadership roles throughout his career.
Davida Coe-Brockington, a longtime educator and administrator in Camden was appointed to lead the district on an interim basis July 1, after Katrina McCombs resigned to take a position with the NJDOE.
McCombs announced her resignation in March 2025 to become the assistant commissioner in the Division of Early Childhood Services.
McCombs, a native of Camden who taught in the district for several years before becoming superintendent, was appointed in 2019 after a year serving in an interim role after Paymon Rouhanifard resigned.
Rouhanifard was appointed to lead the district after the state took control in 2013.
McCombs led the district through a challenging 2024 as a sexual assault lawsuit went to trial against advisory board president Wasim Muhammad. The suit was originally filed in 2021 by a former student who alleged the abuse occurred in the 1990s when Muhammad was a teacher in the district.
In 2024, a jury awarded the woman $1.6 million in damages, finding that Muhammad caused her trauma and that the district was negligent in preventing it.
Muhammad, who has always maintained his innocence regarding the allegations in the lawsuit, initially took a leave of absence from the board after the lawsuit’s existence came to light. Gov. Murphy and other leaders called for his resignation.
Muhammad returned to the board in July 2024 after the civil trial had ended. Parents and community organizers staged a protest outside the August 2024 school board meeting to demand Muhammad step down.
Muhammad eventually resigned from the advisory board in September 2024 after a raucous board meeting ended abruptly.