People Watch
School Administrator, August 2020
Paul A. Cruz
After six years as superintendent of the 80,000-student Austin Independent School District in Texas, Paul Cruz has become a professor of practice in the Cooperative Superintendency Program in the department of educational leadership and policy at the University of Texas. He previously served as superintendent in Laredo, Texas, and deputy commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. An educator since 1987, he also worked in Corpus Christi and San Antonio. A member of AASA since 2015, Cruz received his Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Texas.
 



Alexa R. Cunningham
Following four years as superintendent of the 23,000-student Salt Lake City School District in Utah, Lexi Cunningham has become executive director for the Utah State Superintendents Association and associate executive director for the Utah School Boards Association. Previously, she was superintendent of Arizona’s Tolleson Union High School District and assistant superintendent in the Agua Fria Union High School District in Avondale, Ariz. Cunningham earned her doctorate at Arizona State University. An AASA member since 2012, she was a member of the association’s Governing Board.
 





Lisa M. Grant
Following a five-year stint as superintendent in the Mossyrock School District in Centralia, Wash., Lisa Grant has assumed the reins in Centralia, Wash. She previously served in various administrative roles in Florida’s Pinellas County, including executive director of exceptional student education and director of professional development. Earlier, Grant spent five years as a principal in Snoqualmie, Wash., and taught in Tigard, Ore. An AASA member since 2015, she holds a doctorate from the University of South Florida.
 


 


Diane V. Gullett
The first school board-appointed superintendent of the Marion County Public Schools in Ocala, Fla., is Diane Gullett, who spent the past two years as deputy superintendent of the 323,000-student Clark County, Nev., district. She served earlier for 19 years in the Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla., as an area superintendent, a director of professional development services and an elementary school principal. Gullett earned an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida. She has held AASA membership since 2018.
 

 


Scott A. Menzel
After 18 years in the superintendency in four Michigan school systems, Scott Menzel has left for Arizona, where he now leads the 23,000-student Scottsdale Unified School District. Between 2002 and earlier this year, Menzel held the top berth of these Michigan districts: the Wash­tenaw Intermediate School District in Ann Arbor (nine years); the Ypsilanti Community Schools (one year); the Livingston Educational Service Agency in Howell (four years); and the Whitmore Lake Public Schools (five years). An AASA member since 2003, Menzel has a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University.
 




Terri Walker
After spending most of 2019-20 as interim superintendent of the Northwest Arctic Borough School District in Kotzebue, Alaska, Terri Walker has been elevated to the permanent post. An Inupiaq Eskimo from the village of Buckland, Walker has worked in Northwest Arctic since 1990, having served as assistant superintendent, director of state and federal programs, principal and a gifted and talented teacher. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. Walker joined AASA in 2018.
 





APPOINTMENTS
Craig Barringer, from superintendent, Libby, Mont., to superintendent, Sweetwater County School District 2, Green River, Wyo.
Justin Blasko, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Monroe, Wash.
June Chang, from superintendent, Summit, N.J., to superintendent, Rockville Centre, N.Y.
William Furbush, from superintendent, Pelham, N.H., to superintendent, Epping, N.H.
King Laurence, from interim superintendent to superintendent, Aiken, S.C.
Anthony W. McConnell, from superintendent, Deerfield, Ill., to superintendent, Lemont, Ill.
Myra Munroe, from superintendent, Reed City, Mich., to special education teacher, Evart, Mich.
Fredrika Smith, from superintendent, Monroe, Wash., to assistant superintendent, Northwest Educational Services District, Anacortes, Wash.
Matthew L. Smith, from chief of staff, Leander, Texas, to superintendent, Belton, Texas
Dan Streeter, from superintendent, Humboldt Unified School District, Prescott Valley, Ariz., to superintendent, Marana, Ariz.
Dan Wessel, from interim superintendent to superintendent, Lansing, Mich.

RETIREMENTS
Angela Bain, superintendent, Chester, S.C.
Kent DeKoninck, superintendent, Greenwood, Ind.
Erik Swanson, superintendent, Omak, Wash.
Doug Wilson, superintendent, Marana, Ariz.

HONORS
Joelle Magyar, superintendent, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, Ohio, received 2020 Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award by National School Public Relations Association
Kenny Rodrequez, superintendent, Grandview, Mo., given the 2020 Communication Technology Award for Superintendents by National School Public Relations Association

DEATHS
Donald J. Clark, 58, retired superintendent, Eastern Sierra, Calif., Feb. 14
Guy M. Sconzo, 68, retired superintendent, Humble, Texas, April 21
Gaylord F. Tryon, 83, retired executive director, School Administrators of Iowa, March 25
Robert D. Tschirki, 82, retired AASA deputy executive director, May 23
Ruben Zepeda, 59, superintendent, Keppel, Calif., March 6
 
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