Featured Alumni

FRANK POMBAR

The Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2008
Deputy Chief, Attendance and Truancy
The School District of Philadelphia
Retired Colonel, U.S. Air Force

“It is a sad truism that our nation faces a crisis in education. Too many of our children are failing to receive—or to require of themselves—the knowledge, skills and tools to succeed. Our society cannot advance in a sustainable way if so many young people cannot or do not attempt to succeed. As a superintendent, I will be able to make an impact at the local level where this crisis plays out in the lives of children and their parents.”

In August 2009, Frank D. Pombar was appointed deputy chief for attendance and truancy at The School District of Philadelphia where he previously served as special assistant to the superintendent. He had a distinguished, 26-year career with the U.S. Air Force, retiring at the rank of colonel in 2007. His last position was deputy director for the Air Force Smart Operations Office for the 21st Century (AFSO21) with the office of the secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. In this role, he directed the alignment, coordination and integration of all AFSO21 initiatives. Previously, Pombar served as the director of services, HQ United States Air Forces in Europe. In this capacity, he was responsible for directing contingency planning, programming, and financial oversight of clubs, dining facilities, lodging, libraries, child development, fitness, leisure time and mortuary affairs programs. He also led the most diversified major command services program in the Air Force, managing a 250 million budget and supporting 12,000 facilities and 100,000 personnel in nine countries. Pombar has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Whittier College and a master’s of public administration from the University of Oklahoma.  Pombar is a graduate of the 2008 class of The Broad Superintendents Academy.