Ian Hanigan serves as chief communications officer for the Orange County Department of Education, overseeing the Communications and Media Services unit. Along with producing stories and videos for the OCDE Newsroom, this team facilitates copywriting, video production, media relations, graphic design, web design and event support for OCDE.
Prior to joining the department in 2015, Ian spent eight years as public information officer for the 30,000-student Irvine Unified School District. Before that, he was a local journalist, writing for the Long Beach Press-Telegram from 1999 to 2003 and the South Bay’s Daily Breeze newspaper from 2003 to 2006. His beats included education, city government, business and aerospace.
OCDE will host a live virtual event on Feb. 26 to help families recognize online red flags and prevent dangerous digital situations. The session, presented with SmartSocial.com, offers practical guidance for parents and educators.
In the second episode of OCDE’s FutureCurrent podcast, Eric Goodman shares with Dr. Stefan Bean how personal challenges and leadership experiences have shaped his approach to service, mindset and giving back.
With 12 medals overall, Troy High School earned first place at the 2026 MIT Science Olympiad Invitational, one of the most competitive high school Science Olympiad tournaments in the country.
On the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, students and staff at McAuliffe Middle School reflected on the life and legacy of their school’s namesake, Christa McAuliffe.
Quick look: OCDE’s new ‘FutureCurrent’ podcast will feature unscripted conversations with educators, community leaders and partners from across Orange County....
Spurred by lessons from last year’s Los Angeles wildfires, OC leaders came together to focus on shared responsibility in disaster preparedness. County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean emphasized that schools often serve as first points of connection for families, especially the most vulnerable.