People Watch
School Administrator, December 2019
Dori L. Alvich
After spending the last four years as its assistant superintendent, Dori Alvich has taken the helm of the Monroe Township, N.J., School District. Alvich has been in the district for 14 years, previously working as a principal and assistant principal at three elementary schools. She spent the first part of her career as an elementary and middle school teacher in Trenton, Freehold and Robbinsville, N.J. Alvich earned her Ed.D. in educational leadership from Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. She has been a member of AASA since 2018.




Lora de la Cruz
After serving as an educator in Colorado for 26 years, Lora de la Cruz has moved to Oregon as the new superintendent of the 7,000-student Lake Oswego, Ore., School District. Having earned her doctorate degree in educational leadership and equity at the University of Colorado in Denver, de la Cruz served as a P-20 area superintendent in Aurora, Colo., Public Schools. She came to Aurora from the Boulder Valley, Colo., School District, where she was a principal, assistant principal and teacher. de la Cruz has been a member of AASA since 2017.




Kevin R. George
The New Beginnings School Foundation in New Orleans, La., has a new CEO in Kevin George. He comes to New Beginnings from Reserve, La., where he was superintendent of the 6,500-student St. John the Baptist Schools for six years after a year as district support deputy network leader for the Louisiana Department of Education. He also served as supervisor of middle and secondary schools, principal, assistant principal and teacher throughout the state after beginning his career as a high school teacher in Terrebonne, La. George joined AASA in 2018.

 


Nellie Meyer
Following a six-year stint as superintendent of Mt. Diablo Unified School District in Concord, Calif., Nellie Meyer has taken over the superintendency of the Los Altos Union High School District in Mountain View, Calif. Previously, Meyer was deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent of high schools and high school principal in San Diego, Calif. She began her career as an instructional aide and taught history, algebra and economics. A member of AASA since 2017, Meyer received her doctorate in educational leadership from San Diego State University.

 


Michael F. Rice
The Michigan State Board of Education has a new superintendent of public instruction in Michael Rice. For the preceding 12 years, Rice was superintendent of the Kalamazoo, Mich., Public Schools. He earlier held the top berth in Clifton, N.J., Public Schools and served as a cabinet-level administrator in the District of Columbia Public Schools, Fort Wayne, Ind., Community Schools and Lansing, Mich., School District. He began as a high school French teacher in Washington, D.C. Rice, a 21-year member of AASA, earned his Ph.D. in public administration from New York University.




Cheri Towle
An educator in Maine since 1995, Cheri Towle has assumed the superintendency of the Kennebec Intra-District Schools Regional School Unit 2 in Hallowell. Towle spent the previous four years as superintendent of the Brewer School Department and served in Wiscasset as a secondary school principal and superintendent intern for a year. She also worked as a principal for three years in Thorndike following teaching stints in Topsham and Damariscotta. Towle received her Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of New England. She has been a member of AASA since 2017.





APPOINTMENTS
Victor Capellan, from superintendent, Central Falls, R.I., to senior adviser, Rhode Island Department of Education, Providence, R.I.
Ann Cardon, from superintendent, St. Joseph, Mich., to superintendent, Traverse City, Mich.
David Gentile, from superintendent, Millville, N.J., to superintendent, Voorhees Township, N.J.
Terri L. Holden, from executive director of teaching and learning, Winton Woods City School District, Cincinnati, Ohio, to superintendent, Yellow Springs, Ohio
Patricia Kilburn, from superintendent, Johnstown, Pa., to superintendent, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, New Hartford, N.Y.
Dawn M. Lewis, from dual superintendent, Arnold, Neb., and Callaway, Neb., to superintendent, Arlington, Neb.
Gary Lilly, from director of schools, Bristol, Tenn., to superintendent, Collier, Tenn.
David Myers, from superintendent, New Kent County Public Schools, New Kent, Va., to assistant superintendent for data, Virginia Department of Education, Richmond, Va.
Brian Nichols, from acting superintendent, Newport News, Va., to superintendent, New Kent County Public Schools, New Kent, Va.
Frank Rodriguez, from regional superintendent, School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, Fla., to superintendent, Beaufort County School District, Beaufort, S.C.
Kenneth C. Somers, from learning community director, Aurora, Colo., to superintendent, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, Monument, Colo.


RETIREMENTS
John S. Aitken, superintendent, Collierville Schools, Collier, Tenn.
Sheri Allen, superintendent, Mankato, Minn.
Karen Brofft, superintendent, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, Monument, Colo.
Abby Dolliver, superintendent, Norwich, Conn.
Jim Mabbott, superintendent, Castle Rock, Wash.
Alexandra Nicholson, superintendent, West Northfield District 31, Northbrook, Ill.
John Zegers, superintendent, West De Pere School District, De Pere, Wis.


DEATHS
Joseph F. Casey, 65, retired superintendent, Melrose, Mass., Sept. 8
Ted C. Downing, 67, superintendent, Bright Local Schools, Mowrystown, Ohio, Sept. 15
Lawrence J. Golden, 77, retired superintendent, Glendale Heights, Ill., Aug. 27

 

News about AASA members’ promotions, retirements, honors and deaths should be addressed to: Editor, School Administrator, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Fax: 703-841-1543. E-mail: magazine@aasa.org