Blanche G. Brewster Cannady

2010 Distinguished Alumna

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Blanche Cannady

Blanche G. Brewster Cannady

Retired Assistant Superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD)
1954, Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, CSULB
1943, Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, Santa Barbara State College

Blanche G. Brewster Cannady retired from LBUSD after serving 34 years, the last nine as an elementary division assistant superintendent. For two years, she worked as an hourly instructor for Long Beach City College (LBCC) and served for six years as a commissioner for the LBCC Personnel Commission.

After she acquired a state life and disability insurance license, she worked for the PFP Insurance Agency from 1985-04. Her proudest accomplishments include serving as a founding member of the 32/32 Club, a Children’s Dental Clinic support group; being elected as the first chairman of CAMEO, a professional Assistance League of Long Beach auxiliary mentoring group; and establishing the Books for Babies Program.

She served on the Long Beach Dental Clinic Board and was the 2004-06 LBCC Foundation president. Cannady is a member of Soroptimist International of Long Beach; Delta Kappa Gamma, Eta Chapter; and The Steel Magnolias, a Geraldine A. Stramski Children’s Development Center support group.

She was honored with the 1976 CSUSB Distinguished Achievement in Education, 2003 Steel Magnolia and 2003 Soroptimist International of Long Beach Woman of Distinction in Education Awards.

As an alumnus, she is a member of the CSULB Alumni Association, Fine Arts Affiliates and the women’s volleyball and basketball booster clubs. She has two sons, Michael and alumnus Donald (1977, B.S., business administration); six grandchildren, including alumna Marni Brewster (2009, MBA/MFA, theatre management); and six great-grandchildren, among them CSULB student Thomas Cannady.

From Alumni Awards 2010 program