First-Ever Class of Educators Honored for Completing AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model at National Conference on Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-875-0723
703-774-6953 (cell)
jminichello@aasa.org

San Diego – Feb. 16, 2020 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the first group of educators to graduate from its Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model program. The announcement was made at the organization’s National Conference on Education in San Diego, Calif.

The program is a combination of in-person and online opportunities to master the various leadership qualities superintendents must have to excel on the job. Through real-world, situational leadership tasks, participants work collaboratively to prepare themselves to become the future leaders of school districts across the country.

“Congratulations to our Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model graduates,” said Daniel A. Domenech, AASA executive director. “Strengthening the pipeline of aspiring educators working to reach the top rung of school system leadership can never be more vital. Our participants have the benefit of building a professional network of colleagues they can collaborate with and learn from for the rest of their careers.” 

The AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model program graduates were:  

• Veronica Bayles, principal, Tuscumbia City Schools, Tuscumbia, Ala.

• Carmen Bergmann, assistant regional superintendent, Regional Office of Education 17, Bloomington, Ill.

• Debra Biersdorff, chief academic officer, Washoe County School District, Reno, Nev.

• Kenneth Bowen, strategist and consultant, Laurinburg, N.C.

• Aimeé Cepeda Pressley, principal, District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, D.C.

• Katy DeFarrari, assistant superintendent, Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, Ky.

• Scott DeShong, principal, Avon Grove School District, West Grove, Pa.

• Annmarie Ekey, manager, school leadership support, District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, D.C.

• Eric Hamilton, principal, Community High School District 117, Lake Villa, Ill.

• Chris Hardin, head of school, Bridgeway Academy, Catasauqua, Pa.

• Jeff Horton, assistant superintendent, Duluth Independent School District 709, Duluth, Minn.

• Meredyth Hudson, chief of strategy and human capital, Campbell Union High School District, San Jose, Calif.

• Ed Klein, assistant superintendent, Chardon Local Schools, Chardon, Ohio

• Trevor Liburd, principal, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, Md.

• Bob Marcucci, principal, San Rafael City Schools, San Rafael, Calif.

• Stephen McWilliams, principal, Barrington Community Unit School District 220, Barrington, Ill.

• Laura O’Donnell, assistant superintendent, Olympia Community Unit School District 16, Stanford, Ill.

• Bret Range, executive director, student and school services, Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, Mo.

• Keeyana Riley, district coordinator, PBIS/MTSS, Crete Monee Community Unit School District 201U, Crete, Ill.

• Christy Powell Shepard, principal, Oxford City Schools, Oxford, Ala.

• C. Bernard Solomon, principal, Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, Mo.

• Selim Tanyeri, principal, Sonoran Schools/Daisy Education Corp., Chandler, Ariz.

• Shawn Thorpe, instructor, Alexandria City Public School District, Alexandria, Va.

• Dawna Tully, teacher, Pasadena Unified School District, Pasadena, Calif.

• Lori Wiggins, principal, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, Va.

• Craig Winkelman, assistant superintendent of K-12 schools and operations, Barrington Community Unit School District 220, Barrington, Ill.

• Tiffany Young, director, equity and diversity, Washoe County School District, Reno, Nev.

For more information about AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® Blended Learning Model program, contact Mort Sherman, AASA associate executive director, 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 is addressing the most critical issues affecting public education today, including equity in education, social and emotional learning, personalizing education, early learning, technology, and school safety and leadership.

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.