People Watch
School Administrator, September 2019
Jennifer P. Cheatham
Jen Cheatham is bringing a wealth of experience to her new role as professor in the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Cheatham comes to Cambridge, Mass., by way of Madison, Wis., where she served as superintendent of the 27,000-student system for six years. She also worked in administrative posts in the Chicago Public Schools and the San Diego districts, after beginning her teaching career in Newark, Calif. A six-year member of AASA, Cheatham earned her Ed.D. in Harvard’s Urban Superintendents Program in 2010.




Terry J. Dade
After spending most of his career in the Fairfax County, Va., district he attended as a student, Terry Dade has taken the helm of the 28,000-student Rochester, N.Y., City School District. Dade most recently was assistant superintendent of Fairfax County’s Region 3 in Falls Church, Va. He previously was the district’s executive principal for school improvement after serving as principal of two elementary schools over four years. Dade, an AASA member since 2018, earned his Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech University.




Sara Hahn-Huston
A longtime educator in Oregon, Sara Hahn-Huston has become the superintendent of Hood River County School District near Portland. She previously served four years as executive director of secondary education and executive director of school performance with the Gresham-Barlow School District. She started her career in Portland Public Schools as a teacher before serving as a principal for 13 years. Hahn-Huston earned her D.Ed. in educational leadership from the University of Oregon. She became a member of AASA in 2019.

 


Michael J. Hynes
The new superintendent of the Port Washington, N.Y., Union Free School District is Michael Hynes. Hynes was formerly superintendent in Patchogue, N.Y., for five years and Shelter Island, N.Y., for three years. He also served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in North Massapequa, N.Y., elementary school principal in Center Moriches, N.Y., and assistant middle school principal in East Patchogue, N.Y. Hynes earned his Ed.D. in educational administration from Dowling College in Long Island, N.Y. He has been a member of AASA since 2013.

 


Justin M. Jennings
Youngstown City Schools has welcomed Justin Jennings as its new chief executive officer. Jennings comes from the Muskegon, Mich., Public Schools, where he spent four years and served as director of special education and assistant superintendent of curriculum before becoming the district’s superintendent. Previously, Jennings worked as executive principal of secondary schools in Ypsilanti, Mich., a high school principal in Holland, Mich., and a high school principal in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he began his teaching career. Jennings joined AASA in 2017.




Meredith S. Nadeau
Following three years at the helm of Newmarket, N.H., schools, Meredith Nadeau is now the superintendent of the School Administrative Unit 13 in Tamworth, N.H., where she oversees the Freedom, Madison and Tamworth school districts. Previously, Nadeau was superintendent in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for five years and director of instruction in an intermediate agency in Durham, N.H. She also worked as a principal in New Hampshire after beginning her career in special education. Nadeau has been a member of AASA since 2014.





APPOINTMENTS
Kevin Bogatin, from assistant superintendent, Corvallis, Ore., to superintendent, North Bend, Ore.
Chris Brown, from superintendent, West Genesee Central School District, Camillus, N.Y., to superintendent, Marcus Whitman Central Schools, Rushville, N.Y.
Michael Comeaux, from superintendent, Post, Texas, to superintendent, Anna, Texas
Justin Downes, from superintendent, Arlington, S.D., to superintendent, Milbank, S.D.
Paul Gordon, from superintendent, Glen Ellyn, Ill., to superintendent, Wenatchee, Wash.
Tim Graf, from superintendent, Milbank, S.D., to superintendent, Harrisburg, S.D.
Kevin Kendall, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Ogdensburg, N.Y.
Robert Kobylski, from shared superintendent, Nicolet Union High School District, Glendale, Wis., and Fox Point-Bayside School District, Fox Point, Wis., to superintendent, Davenport, Iowa
Monique Mawhinney, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Highlands School District, Natrona Heights, Pa.
Josh McDowell, from chief transformation officer, Grand Island, Neb., to superintendent, Crete, Neb.
Jon Mishra, from superintendent, Waitsburg, Wash., to director of Title IA and learning assistant program, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia, Wash.
Allyn Roche, from assistant superintendent, Spring-Ford Area School District, Royersford, Pa., to superintendent, Upper Perkiomen School District, Pennsburg, Pa.
Frank J. Rodriguez, from superintendent, School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, Fla., to superintendent, Beaufort County School District, Beaufort, S.C.
Kevin Russell, from superintendent, Chicago Ridge, Ill., to superintendent, Downers Grove Grade School District 58, Downers Grove, Ill.
Mike Schiffman, from superintendent, Freeport, Ill., to superintendent, Pearl City, Ill.
Timothy Van Tasel, from superintendent, Hebron, Conn., to superintendent, Suffield, Conn.


RETIREMENTS
Douglas Domeracki, superintendent, Community High School District 94, West Chicago, Ill.
Jim Holbeck, superintendent, Harrisburg, S.D.
Marcus Newsome, superintendent, Petersburg, Va.
Ana V. Ortiz, superintendent, Oxford, Conn.
Ken Ramey, superintendent, Siloam Springs, Ark.
Richard M. Reese, superintendent, John Glenn School Corporation, Walkerton, Ind.

 

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