Educators Honored for Completing AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Female Leaders at National Conference on Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953 
jminichello@aasa.org

San Antonio, Texas – Feb. 17, 2023 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is proud to announce this year’s class of educators to graduate from the organization’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Female Leaders. The announcement was made at the National Conference on Education in San Antonio, Texas.

The program brings together women who are on the path to the superintendency to build knowledge and confidence in their ability to lead. The goal of this unique opportunity is to increase the number of women in educational administration positions and leverage their voices in education policy on local and national levels.

“It has been a longstanding tradition at AASA to create more pathways for women educators who desire to further their careers in education administration,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “It is an honor to congratulate the 2023 class of graduates from our Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Female Leaders. Our nation needs more women at the head of the table to serve as critical change agents in public education.”

The graduates from the 2023 AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Female Leaders are:

• Jammie L. Behrendt, assistant superintendent, Menlo Park City School District, Atherton, Calif.
• Nichole Burgin, superintendent, Truth or Consequences Municipals, Truth or Consequences, N.M.
• Sarah G. Collins, principal, Kyrene School District, Tempe, Ariz.
• Elena DalFavero, assistant superintendent, Placer Union High School District, Auburn, Calif.
• Mwenyewe Dawan, assistant superintendent, Wissahickon School District, Ambler, Pa.
• Barbara D. Droessler, principal, Target Range School District 23, Missoula, Mont.
• Kristina Giangreco, principal, Saugerties Central School District, Saugerties, N.Y.
• Kristen Gracia, superintendent, Menlo Park City School District, Atherton, Calif.
• Melissa Harder, assistant superintendent, Corvallis School District, Corvallis, Ore.
• April R. Holifield-Scott, assistant superintendent, Senatobia Municipal School District, Senatobia, Miss.
• Kelly Ivy, principal, Mona Shores Public Schools, Muskegon, Mich.
• Kristi A. Kahl, assistant superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, Calif.  
• Terese Martin, director of student achievement, Crawford County School District, Roberta, Ga.
• Susan Moore, supervisor of blended learning, Meriden Public Schools, Meriden, Conn.
• Penny Mosley, director of elementary education, Newton County School District, Covington, Ga.
• Theresa Mossige, chief academic officer, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Rosenberg, Texas
• Jennifer Murrieta, principal, Stanfield Elementary School District 24, Stanfield, Ariz.
• Kristan Norgrove, chief academic officer, Global Community Charter School, New York, N.Y.
• Sarah Oudenhoven, director of student services, St. Francis School District, St. Francis, Wis.
• Stephanie D. Payne, principal, Clayton County Schools, Jonesboro, Ga.
• Sharon M. Pepukayi, superintendent, Talbot County Public Schools, Easton, Md.
• Marlene Perez, principal, North Beach School District, Ocean Shores, Wash.
• Hollie Pettersson, director of leadership development, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
• Melissa Pikul, principal, Maine Township High School District 207, Park Ridge, Ill.
• Kalia M. Reynolds, substitute superintendent, West Chester Area School District, Exton, Pa.
• Sherry Segura, chief executive officer, The Foundation of Hispanic Education, San Jose, Calif.
• Erin Simon, assistant superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, Calif.
• Angel L. Turner, assistant superintendent, Evanston/Skokie School District 65, Evanston, Ill.
• Septembra Williams, superintendent, Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac, Pontiac, Mich.
• Ariana Wright, principal, Kasson-Mantorville School District, Kasson, Minn.

For more information about AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy®, visit the AASA website or contact Mort Sherman, AASA senior associate executive director, Leadership Network, at msherman@aasa.org.

Regarded as the most comprehensive professional learning and networking event for school superintendents and administrators, AASA’s National Conference on Education addresses the most critical issues affecting public education today, including leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, health and wellness, equity in education, social and emotional learning, personalizing education, technology and school safety. 

For more information about the conference, access AASA’s Conference Daily Online.

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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.