People Watch

School Administrator, December 2020


Howard C. Carlson

After serving for 11 years as superintendent of the 1,600-student Wickenburg, Ariz., schools, Howard Carlson has begun work as executive administrator for the Greater Phoenix Educational Management Council and the Arizona Educational Management Council. Previously, Carlson served as assistant superintendent in the Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson, and four years as superintendent in Delano, Minn. He was 2019 Arizona Superintendent of the Year. An AASA member since 2008, Carlson holds an Ed.D. from Washington State University.
 

 

 
Reva C. Cosby

Reva Cosby is the new superintendent for Trotwood-Madison City Schools in Trotwood, Ohio. She was previously the superintendent in Mt. Healthy, Ohio, for five years, during which time she co-created the Mid-Size Urban Districts Collaborative. Cosby has held several principalships in Huber Heights and Trotwood and was an assistant professor of education overseeing field placements at Wilmington College in Ohio for two years. She began her career as a social studies teacher in Dayton, Ohio. An AASA member since 2015, Cosby received her Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Dayton.
 

 

Justin Irish

The Anacortes School District in Washington has named Justin Irish its new superintendent. Earlier, Irish served for seven years as the assistant superintendent for the 20,000-student Edmonds School District in Lynnwood, Wash. He also has worked as a principal, assistant principal and elementary school teacher in Shoreline, Wash., beginning in 2003. Irish received his Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington. He has been an AASA member since 2019.
 

 

Robert L. Jackson

Carteret County Public Schools in Beaufort, N.C., hired Rob Jackson as its new superintendent. Previously, Jackson spent six years as superintendent of the Edenton-Chowan Schools in North Carolina. He has spent time as a chief communications officer and was a founding principal of two schools in Union County, N.C. Jackson served in the U.S. Navy as a work center supervisor and administrative assistant to a chief engineer. A member of AASA since 2018, he earned his Ed.D. in the school superintendency from Wingate University.
 

 


King Laurence

King Laurence became superintendent of Aiken County, S.C., Public Schools after serving as the school district’s interim superintendent for several months. He has held several administrative posts with the district over 22 years, including director of federal programs, associate superintendent for instruction and accountability and chief officer of administration and human resources. He previously spent 12 years as a teacher and assistant principal in the Edgefield County Public Schools in Johnston, S.C. Laurence, a past president of the South Carolina Association of Title I Administrators, has been an AASA member since 2019.





Gina M. Picard

Gina Picard is the new superintendent of the Chariho Regional School District in Wood River Junction, R.I. Previously, she held several positions in the Providence, R.I., School Department, including executive director of middle schools and director of school transformation. For seven years, Picard was the principal at Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School in Providence. An AASA member since 2015, Picard received her Ed.D. in educational leadership and administration from the University of Rhode Island.
 



APPOINTMENTS
 

Antonio Abitabile, from principal, Hudson High School, Hudson, N.Y., to superintendent, Lansingburgh Community School District, Troy, N.Y.
Brad Bergstrom,
from superintendent, Thief River Falls, Minn., to superintendent, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Sharon Byrdsong,
from acting superintendent to superintendent, Norfolk, Va.
Eric Eshbach,
from superintendent, Northern York County School District, Dillsburg, Pa., to assistant executive director, Pennsylvania Principals Association, Summerdale, Pa.
Todd Fiske,
from executive director, Summit Preparatory High School, Kalispell, Mont., to superintendent, Mountain View School District 244, Grangeville, Idaho
Kyle Gannon,
from assistant superintendent for instruction to superintendent, Queensbury, N.Y.
Steve Kirkpatrick,
from assistant superintendent for secondary education, Cumberland Valley School District, Mechanicsburg, Pa., to superintendent, Northern York County School District, Dillsburg, Pa.
Ed Kurt,
from superintendent, Findlay, Ohio, to superintendent, Margaretta Local School District, Castalia, Ohio
Tom Messinger,
from superintendent, Red Oak, Iowa, to superintendent, Newton, Iowa
John Polm, from superintendent, Port Townsend, Wash., to superintendent, Puyallup, Wash.
James Sebert, from superintendent, Fond du Lac, Wis., to superintendent, Waukesha, Wis.
Anibal Soler, from associate superintendent, Buffalo, N.Y., to superintendent, Batavia, N.Y.
Fredrika Smith, from superintendent, Monroe, Wash., to assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Northwest Educational Service District, Anacortes, Wash.
David Ulrich, from superintendent, Moffat County, Colo., to superintendent, Kirkwood, Mo.
 
 
RETIREMENTS

Todd Gray, superintendent, Waukesha, Wis.
Jane Ann Harbert,
superintendent, William Penn School District, Lansdowne, Pa.
Benny Lile,
superintendent, Metcalfe County, Louisville, Ky.
Tammy Mason,
superintendent, Arlington, Tenn.
Teri White,
superintendent, Douglas County, Nev.
 
DEATHS

Douglas C. Ackles, 69, retired superintendent, St. Paul, Neb., May 12
Gregory A. Bell, 51,
superintendent, Boscobel, Wis., Sept. 14
Emery G. Dosdall, 77,
retired superintendent, Langley, British Columbia, Aug. 20
 
 
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. Email: magazine@aasa.org