COGNIA LEADERSHIP CIRCLE: Leading a school system is isolating and has never been more complicated. Superintendents and their teams need and deserve an innovative, collaborative, and intimate community that reaches beyond their backyards. At Cognia, we prove that ‘Circles are better than rows.’

A community of superintendents & leaders providing solutions, strategy, and support

As Superintendent of Fulton County Schools, I oversaw the leadership, administration, and management of 95,000 students, 105 schools and 14,000 employees. I directed a $1.1 billion general fund budget, leveraging my leadership experience in both education and operations to allocate resources and forecast effectively. During my tenure, I guided the development, administration, and communication of a new strategic plan focused on vision articulation and unification across the district’s 105 schools. I demonstrated a consistent commitment to forward-thinking leadership, guiding the assessment and improvement systems to support all schools within the district. Additionally, I collaborated with the Board to create a clear flow of communication aimed at bolstering student achievement and energizing a system to decrease “Failing” schools.I have tallied several notable achievements during my time with FCS, including facilitating an increase in ACT performance and participation, helping district achieve its highest-ever average score. I also led an improvement in SAT scores, delivering increases in 14 of the 16 comprehensive high schools in the district. In two years, I reduced the number of ‘Failing’ schools from 28 to 10 and totaled a 50% increase in school climate scores, 77% achieving at the highest possible levels. I guided the district towards the highest College & Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) scores ever at the elementary, middle and high school levels and improved our advanced placement results and graduation rate to 86.8% (highest in the Atlanta area and FCS history). When committed people galvanize around a common purpose, mission and strategy incredible things can happen.

I guided all operations for the district’s 41,000 students, 53 schools, and 4,600 employees as well as managed the district’s budget of $500 million. I created a budgetary plan to decrease expenditures while building our ending fund balance and established a strategic plan with measurable outcomes to engage community. I cultivated and maintained strong relationships with all union representation groups and helped lead Oregon on a plan to focus education efforts and budget priorities.During my tenure, I recorded several accomplishments, including leading the district through its most difficult financial challenge: cutting $40 million from the budget, improving class-size by passing a local levy, passing the State of Oregon’s largest bond ever, and increasing our ending fund balance from 1% to over 10%. Additionally, the district outperformed the state and every large system school district in every academic category and student subgroup.I was Elected President of the Oregon Association of School Executives & Superintendents and named a member of the Oregon Chief Education Officer’s Leadership Team. I was a leader at the state level, guiding Oregon on plans to focus education efforts, statewide leadership structures, the budget and legislative priorities. I was invited as a yearly guest speaker at Lewis & Clark College Speaker Forums, several statewide education conferences, and a variety of education and business advocacy events. I was also Granted the ‘WE Award’ by the Beaverton School District Education Foundation for leading the creation and implementation of the district strategic plan.

As the Superintendent of Schools with Canby, I oversaw all functions for the school district, consistently evaluating personnel and operations to create and implement improvements. Canby SD is the city’s largest employer and thus, I worked directly with leadership and governmental agencies including leading negotiations with teacher and classified employee unions. I established a system of employee collaboration focused on student achievement and implemented a financial plan to lead the district through the recession. I upgraded the district technology infrastructure and use of technology in the classroom instructional practices.During my time leading CSD, the district was designated as an “Apple Exemplary Program” for its innovative approaches to teaching and learning. I had the honor of being named Clackamas County Superintendent Chair in 2009 and elected Board Member of the Clackamas County Workforce Partnership. I also presented at national conferences on a variety of subjects and topics including collaborative practices, budgetary processes, and integration of new technologies.

As Director of School Improvement, I worked directly with superintendent and school board to create and implement initiatives related to teaching trainings, assessment, and more. Additionally, I mentored administrators and teachers, served as district assessment coordinator, and wrote the district’s Continuous Improvement Plan.

As Principal, I led various instructional programs, maintained a climate conducive to learning, and implemented structural reform to better serve students and community. I also acted as the district-wide advisor for school counselors and the district collaborative team trainer/supervisor.During my tenure as principal, our school rating moved from satisfactory to exceptional status. Russell Academy was granted state’s Student Success Finalist Award. I was awarded Outstanding Public Service Award by Portland State University, the Record of Distinction Award by Lewis & Clark College and the Mid-County Memo Educator of Year Award. I also served as an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark College within the Graduate School of Education and Counseling.