The Modern Superintendent: School and Civic Leader Event
Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 4:30–6 p.m. ET
Location: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Longfellow Hall, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138
Overview
HGSE’s new Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leaderhelps superintendents navigate political challenges, build trust, and lead effectively. Join us to explore their evolving civic role in a changing landscape for education and democracy.
HGSE faculty member Jennifer Cheatham and three former superintendents, who are currently Senior Fellows for the Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader, will focus on what it means to lead school systems as democratic institutions: building broad-based coalitions across sectors; engaging families, students, and communities as partners rather than constituents; navigating polarization and misinformation; and using the bully pulpit of the superintendency to advance inclusion, equity, and civic engagement.
Panelists will share concrete examples of civic leadership in action—from community-wide visioning processes to cross-agency collaborations and student voice initiatives—and reflect on the skills, dispositions, and supports superintendents need to sustain this work over time.
This forum invites educators, policymakers, students, and community members to consider how superintendents can help renew faith in public institutions, foster civic learning and participation, and ensure that school systems serve as engines of both academic excellence and democratic vitality.
Welcome: Martin West, Academic Dean and Shattuck Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Moderator: Jennifer Cheatham, Chair of the Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader, Senior Lecturer on Education, and Faculty Chair of Field Engagement, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Former Superintendent, Madison, WI
Speakers – Senior Fellows, Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Russell Booker, CEO, Spartanburg Academic Movement; Senior Fellow, The EdRedesign Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Former Superintendent, Spartanburg, SC
- Kyla Johnson-Trammell, CEO, Oakland Thrives; Former Superintendent, Oakland, CA
- Michael Matsuda, Executive in Residence, Loyola Marymount University School of Education; Former Superintendent, Anaheim, CA
Event Attendance & Registration
Askwith Education Forums are accessible, free, and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Registration is required. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for seating, to engage with the community, and to enjoy light refreshments before the Forum.
Virtual registrants will receive a Zoom link the day before the event.
An invitation to speak at the Harvard Graduate School of Education does not imply an endorsement of the speaker’s views or values by HGSE, Harvard University, or members of its community.
For accessibility needs or accommodation requests, please contact askwith@gse.harvard.edu in advance of the program. See the FAQ tab for details.
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2013: What will be different, this time? 2019: Jennifer Cheatham and the Madison Experience
