Nation’s 2023 Class of Educators Honored for Completing AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® 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 pleased to announce the 2023 class of superintendents and other administrators who have graduated from its Aspiring Superintendents Academy®. The outstanding educators were honored at the organization’s National Conference on Education in San Antonio, Texas.

This group of aspiring educational leaders completed 10 months of intensive coursework on leadership topics such as Leading with a Vision for Excellence, Effective Community and Stakeholder Communications and Engagement, and Working Effectively with the School Board. Participants also completed a capstone project on school leadership.

“Congratulations to the graduates of our Aspiring Superintendents Academy®, a program that brings together outstanding education leaders who are not only looking to reach the superintendency but thrive in the job,” said Daniel A. Domenech, AASA executive director. “The goal of this unique opportunity is to create the time and space for learning, connection and engagement. Through this academy, participants will have access to a robust network of national leaders for the balance of their careers.”

The 2023 AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® cohort graduates are:

• Renee Andrews, assistant principal, Peoria School District, Peoria, Ill.
• Joe A. Coleman, principal, Galena Park Independent School District, Houston, Texas
• Tom Dodd, principal, Weld RE-4 School District, Windsor, Colo.
• Michael T. Gasaway, principal, Greenwood Community High School, Greenwood, Ind.
• Ricki Gibbs, principal, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, Tenn.
• Steve Hurdle, director of college and career readiness, Oxford School District, Oxford, Miss.
• John G. Kernan, principal, Grosse Pointe Public School System, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
• Jennifer McCoy, principal, Lexington Community Unit School District 7, Lexington, Ill.
• Garth J. McKinney, assistant superintendent, Milton Public Schools, Milton, Mass.
• Joseph Mikulski, principal, Collier County Public Schools, Naples, Fla.
• Joy Morales, executive director of curriculum and instruction, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Rio Rancho, N.M.
• Demond Patrick Mullins, principal, Montgomery Public Schools, Montgomery, Ala.
• Perri Murdica, director of special education and pupil personnel services, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown, Conn.
• Suzanne Nguyen, executive director of the federal, bilingual and Native American program, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Rio Rancho, N.M.
• Casey Nye, superintendent, D.C. Everest Area School District, Schofield, Wis.
• Jerry Reeder, executive director of special services, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Rio Rancho, N.M.
• Theodore Robison, executive director of secondary education, Thompson School District, Loveland, Colo.
• Brian Frederick Sica, superintendent, Banks School District, Banks, Ore.
• Dayle J. Spitzer, superintendent, Oregon City School District 62, Oregon City, Ore.
• CJ Van Wieren, principal, Whitehall District Schools, Whitehall, Mich.
• Dawn Williams, instructional specialist, Floyd County Schools, Rome, Ga.
• Brad Willson, superintendent, Seaman School District#345, Topeka, Kan.
• Jennifer Wonnell, superintendent, Dansville Schools, Dansville, Mich.
• Kevin R. Yancey, director of facilities and special projects, Madison Consolidated Schools, Madison, Ind.
• Matthew A. Yost, superintendent, Wagner Community School, Wagner, S.D.
• Alejandro Zamora, principal, Wilder School District 133, Wilder, Idaho

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.