People Watch
School Administrator, September 2022


Mark T. Bedell

Mark Bedell is the new superintendent in Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Annapolis, Md. Previously, Bedell spent six years as superintendent in Kansas City, Mo. He also served as assistant superintendent for high schools for four years for Baltimore County Public Schools in Towson, Md. His other postings include school improvement officer for two years and principal for three years in Houston, Texas. Bedell received his Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He has been an AASA member since 2016.


Amanda C. Hester

After three years as assistant superintendent of instruction in Louisa County School District in Mineral, Va., Amanda Hester has moved into the superintendency of the Nelson County Public Schools in Lovingston, Va. In earlier postings, Hester was a high school principal in Spotsylvania County, Va., and associate principal and teacher in Henrico County, Va. An adjunct professor at Longwood University for the past four years, Hester holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership, administration and supervision from the University of Virginia. She joined AASA as a member in 2019.

Monifa B. McKnight

After spending a year as interim superintendent, Monifa McKnight has been selected superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Md. She previously was the district’s deputy superintendent for two years and chief school management and instructional leadership officer for Howard County Public Schools in Ellicott City, Md. Prior positions with Montgomery County included director of secondary leadership development, principal and English and reading teacher. An AASA member since 2021, McKnight received her Ed.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Brian G. Ricca

Brian Ricca has been selected as the new superintendent in East Greenwich, R.I., after serving as superintendent in St. Johnsbury, Vt., for four years and superintendent in Montpelier, Vt., for seven years. Ricca worked over the past six years as an instructor in staff evaluation and development at the University of Vermont. He earlier was associate high school principal for academic affairs in South Burlington, Vt. An AASA member since 2011, Ricca received his Ed.D. from Loyola University Chicago.

Andrae Townsel

Andrae Townsel is the new superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools in Prince Frederick, Md. He previously was superintendent in Benton Harbor, Mich., for two years and assistant superintendent of academic excellence for the Wayne-Westland Community School District in Westland, Mich. Townsel was a principal in Southbridge, Mass., and assistant principal in Washington, D.C. His teaching career began in 2008 in physical education and reading enrichment. An AASA member since 2018, Townsel received his Ed.D. in educational leadership from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

APPOINTMENTS
Amy Creeden, from interim superintendent to superintendent, Middletown, N.Y.
Mark Ernst, from interim superintendent to superintendent, Tooele, Utah
Jeff Hauswald, from superintendent, Kokomo, Ind., to superintendent, Monroe County Community School Corporation, Bloomington, Ind.
Ted Ihns, from superintendent, Howard-Winneshiek Community School District, Cresco, Iowa, to superintendent, Indianola, Iowa
Kevin McKay, from superintendent, Sunnyside, Wash., to superintendent, Selah, Wash.
Maria Pitre-Martin, from superintendent, Petersburg, Va., to director of board operations ad policy, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Raleigh, N.C.
Michelle Reid, from superintendent, North Shore School District, Bothell, Wash., to superintendent, Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, Va.
David VanderYacht, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Lynden, Wash.
Doug Van Zyl, from superintendent, St. Joseph, Mo., to superintendent, Lakeville, Minn.
RETIREMENTS