Nation’s 2024 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 Diego, Calif. – Feb. 16, 2024 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the 2024 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 Diego, Calif.

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.

“AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® is the signature professional learning opportunity for today’s future-driven district leaders, creating the necessary space and time to connect, grow and innovate.”

“AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy® is the signature professional learning opportunity for today’s future-driven district leaders, creating the necessary space and time to connect, grow and innovate,” said David R. Schuler, executive director, AASA. “Congratulations to the Academy’s 2024 graduates. I look forward to supporting each and every one of our graduates in their journey to best serve our nation’s schools and kids.”

The 2024 AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® cohort graduates are:

• Shirley Chesser, chief academic officer, Rockdale County Public Schools, Conyers, Ga.
• Samuel Coleman, chief academic officer, Lynchburg City Schools, Lynchburg, Va.
• Chad Dickemper, executive director of planning and development, Mehlville School District, St. Louis, Mo.
• Nancy Forde, executive director, Bibb County School District, Macon, Ga.
• Whitney Holton, associate superintendent, Campbell Union School District, Campbell, Calif.
• Robert Hughes, assistant superintendent, Westside Union School District, Quartz Hill, Calif.
• Clifford Jones, assistant superintendent, Fulton County Schools, Atlanta, Ga.
• Jamie King, school support officer, Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
• Jeff Lindell, director of student services, D.C. Everest Area School District, Weston, Wis.
• Robert Lukens, principal, Kadoka Area School, Kadoka, S.D.
• Sarah Marandos, assistant superintendent, Pelham School District, Pelham, N.H.
• Shannon Myers, assistant superintendent, Bermudian Springs School District, York Springs, Pa.
• Travis Reiman, assistant superintendent, Hillsboro School District, Hillsboro, Ore.
• Crystal Reiter, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Normandy Schools Collaborative, St. Louis, Mo.
• Deborah Salgado, assistant superintendent, human resources, Oxnard Union High School District, Oxnard, Calif.
• Christie Samojedny, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Skokie School District 68, Skokie, Ill.
• Marcus Scott, principal, Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, Savannah, Ga.
• Dedrick Sims, chief executive officer, Sims-Fayola Foundation, Aurora, Colo.
• Stanley Spoor, director, human resources, Appoquinimink School District, Odessa, Del.
• Suzanne West, director, strategic initiatives, Salem-Keizer School District 24J, Salem, Ore.
• Monika Wiley, director, school choice, Clayton County Public Schools, Jonesboro, Ga.
• Tanya Wilson-Thevanesan, deputy superintendent, Fairport Central School District, Fairport, N.Y.

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 Live Well. Lead Well. — health and well-being and self-care; redesigning learning; school environment and culture; school safety, finances and operations; and transformational learning and leading.

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.