People Watch
School Administrator, December 2021


Rui Dionisio

The new superintendent of the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District in Oakland, N.J., is Rui Dionisio, who comes from a seven-year term as superintendent in Verona, N.J. Dionisio was previously a high school principal in Cranford, N.J., and a middle school assistant principal in Ridgewood, N.J. His teaching career began in 2000 as a mathematics teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jersey City, N.J. An AASA member for two years, Dionisio received his Ed.D. from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. He is co-president of the Essex County Association of School Superintendents.

Margaret K. Fehrman

Margaret Fehrman has taken the helm as superintendent of the 5,800-student Decatur City Schools in Georgia after a two-year stint as the district’s assistant superintendent. Previously, she was a middle school principal in Gwinnett County Public Schools in Suwanee, Ga., for four years and held two assistant principalships there. Fehrman began her career as a middle school social studies teacher in 2001. An AASA member since 2021, Fehrman holds a Ph.D. in educational policy studies from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Peter Finch

The West Valley School District in Yakima, Wash., has named Peter Finch, previously its assistant superintendent for 20 years, to the top school district berth. Prior to West Valley, Finch was a principal in Granite Falls, Wash., for eight years. Finch began his teaching career in 1989 in middle school social studies and general music teacher and served as a high school basketball coach. He received his Ed.D. from Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., and has been an AASA member since 2014.

Rané Garcia

The Michigan Department of Education has named Rané Garcia as its first director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Garcia comes from Muskegon Heights, Mich., where she was superintendent for four years and assistant superintendent for a year. She also served as interim director of academic programs for Oakridge Public Schools in Muskegon, Mich. Previously, she held positions as an elementary school principal and elementary mathematics coordinator in Jenison, Mich., over 19 years. Garcia, an AASA member since 2018, holds National Superintendent Certification from AASA.


Alan Seibert

After working for 30 years in Salem, Va., the past 15 as superintendent, Alan Seibert will become the constituent services and government relations officer in Roanoke, Va., Public Schools. Before becoming Salem’s superintendent, Seibert served as a principal, assistant principal and science teacher beginning in 1991. He is a past president of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. An AASA member since 1999, he received his Ed.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va.






APPOINTMENTS
Troy Bales, from assistant superintendent of human resources to superintendent, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Phoenix, Ariz.
Christine DeBarge, from superintendent, East Windsor, Conn., to superintendent, Greenfield, Mass.
Eric Eshbach, from assistant executive director to executive director, Pennsylvania Principals Association, Summerdale, Pa.
Teresa Gremaux, from superintendent, North Manchester, Ind., to superintendent, East Noble School Corp., Kendalville, Ind.
Jodie Hausmann, from superintendent, Bay Village, Ohio, to executive director, Connect (North Coast Council), Independence, Ohio
Brian Hendrickson, from assistant superintendent, Ellington, Conn., to superintendent, Salem, Conn.
Todd Hoadley, from superintendent, Dublin, Ohio, to superintendent, Tolles Career and Technical Center, Plain City, Ohio
Millard House II, from superintendent, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Clarksville, Tenn., to superintendent, Houston, Texas
Robert Hunt, from superintendent, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, to superintendent, Barrington Community Unit School District, Barrington, Ill.
David James, from superintendent, Akron, Ohio, to deputy superintendent for operations, Columbus, Ohio
John Kurelja, from assistant executive director to executive director, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Milton, Pa.
Michael Snell, from superintendent, Central York School District, York, Pa., to assistant executive director, Pennsylvania Principals Association, Summerdale, Pa.
Patrick Sullivan, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Liberty, N.Y.
Edward Toman, from superintendent, Wetzel County School District, W.Va., to superintendent, Mercer County, W.Va.