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Superintendents to Watch

Each year the National School Public Relations Association recognizes up to 25 superintendents as Superintendents to Watch. Honorees are school district leaders who have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and who demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. They use communication technology in innovative and effective ways to engage and inform their school communities and to expand two-way communication and outreach efforts.  

Congratulations to the 2022 Superintendents to Watch!

Travis Bracht, Ed.D.
Affton
School District
Affton, Mo.

Kristin Brown, Ed.D.
Lyford Consolidated
Independent School District
Lyford, Texas

Sharon Byrdsong, Ed.D.
Norfolk
Public Schools 
 Norfolk, Va. 

Shaun Carey, Ed.D.
Enumclaw School District
Enumclaw, Wash.

Joey Castilleja, Ed.D.
Mabton School District
Mabton, Wash.

Adam Clark, Ed.D.
Mt. Diablo Unified
School District
Concord, Calif.

John Gordon, III, Ed.D.
Suffolk Public Schools
Suffolk, Va.

Guadalupe Guerrero
Portland Public Schools
Portland, Ore.

Peter Hannigan, Ed.D. 
Hawthorn School District 73
Vernon Hills, Ill.

Kevin Hendrick
Pinellas
Public Schools
Largo, Fla.

Eduardo Hernández, Ed.D.
Edgewood Independent
School District
San Antonio, Texas

Lupita Hinojosa, Ed.D.
Spring Independent
School District 
Houston, Texas

Alfonso Jiménez, Ed.D.
Hacienda La Puente
Unified School District
City of Industry, Calif.

Sean Maika, Ed.D.
North East Independent 
School District
San Antonio, Texas

Alex Marrero, Ed.D.
Denver
Public Schools
Denver, Colo.

Joshua McDowell, Ed.D.
Crete Public Schools
Crete, Neb.

Rosanna Mucetti, Ed.D.
Napa Valley Unified
School District
Napa, Calif.

Brian Nichols, Ed.D.
New Kent County
Public Schools
New Kent, Va.

School District 15
McHenry, Ill.
Mike Rockwood, Ed.D.
Lake Dallas Independent
School District
Lake Dallas, Texas

Diana Sayavedra
El Paso Independent
School District
El Paso, Texas

Greg Sears
Kings Local School District 
Kings Mills, Ohio

Adam Swinyard, Ed.D.
Spokane Public Schools
Spokane, Wash.

Ameca Thomas, Ph.D.
Laurens School District 55
Laurens, S.C

Benjamin Wiggins, Ed.S. 
Colquitt County School District
Moultrie, Ga.

To be considered for the award, nominees must have:

  • Fewer than five years of cumulative experience as a superintendent of schools in a school district/school board system(s) at the time of nomination;
  • Implemented a communication program for the district that includes the use of new communication technology as well as more standard communication tools;
  • Integrated communication goals and strategies into the district’s strategic plan; and
  • Active, visible involvement in the district's communication effort (e.g., tweets, blogs, participates in face-to-face engagement activities, responsive to media requests, models good communication for staff).

Nominees do not have to be an NSPRA member.

Selected superintendent honorees receive a special certificate and are recognized on the NSPRA website, in an NSPRA e-newsletter, on NSPRA social media and during the Superintendents' Luncheon at the annual NSPRA National Seminar

Nominations for the 2023 award will open in August. For more information about this program, contact Communication Specialist Sarah Loughlin at sloughlin@nspra.org or 301-519-1221. View previous winners here.