Diverse Pathways in Educational Leadership
Are you curious about what other direction your experience, competencies and passion for education can take you? Hear from a diverse array of leaders who set out in one direction but embraced a different opportunity to make a positive impact in education.
Moderator
Dave Cash EdD ’08, Superintendent, Santa Barbara Unified School District (Retired)
Panelists
Heather Davis EdD ’14, Paramedic Program Director, UCLA
Laura Hernandez-Flores EdD ’09, Director, New Teacher Center Los Angeles
Jeff Miller ’85 PhD ’01, Director of Talent Management, Cornerstone OnDemand
TBD
Edupreunership: Turning Ideas Into Action
In recent years, educators have played a key role in developing innovative resources and services that support the field. From technology solutions to new services, educators are using their experience to improve education. Hear from panelists who have made the leap from a traditional education setting to entrepreneur.
Moderator
Don Brann PhD ’82, Retired Superintendent
Panelists
Traci DeMuth EdD ’15, Founder, Dream Academe
Michael Moody EdD ’05, Founder & CEO, Insight ADVANCE
Randy Palisoc ’96 EdD ’13, Founder, Ironbox Education
Dustine Rey EdD ’09, Founder/Executive Director, The Gratitude Garden Preschool
Pathways to Higher Education Leadership
Careers in higher education encompass wide range of functional areas. How do find your niche? What are the critical skills needed to succeed and advance? Hear from higher education leaders as they share their career journeys and valuable insights they learned along the way.
Moderator
Shafiqa Ahmadi, Associate Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Carlos Cervantes ’97 EdD ’08, Associate Dean, Academic Support & Retention, University of La Verne
Amber Eckert ME ’96, Vice President of Student Services, Alliant International University
Cheryl Marshall EdD ’01, Chancellor, North Orange County Community College District
Rameen Talesh EdD ’07, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs/Dean of Students, UC Irvine
Pathways to School Site or District Leadership
Whether you’re teaching in the classroom or in a support role, how do you know if school site or district leadership is the right career path for you? Our panel of school and district administrators will share how they successfully pursued their roles in school administration.
Moderator
Helen Morgan ’82 EdD ’10, Superintendent, Hawthorne School District
Panelists
Darvin Jackson EdD ’15, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Monrovia Unified School District
Ramiro Rubalcaba EdD ’15, Principal, Azusa High School
Crystal Turner EdD ’13, Assistant Superintendent, Tustin Unified School District
Oryla Wiedoeft EdD ’14, Principal, Venice High School
Pathways to Superintendent & CMO Leadership
Becoming a Superintendent or leading a Charter Management Organization requires extensive experience and demonstrated areas of success. This panel includes veteran and new organizational leaders who will discuss their respective roles, and the career paths that prepared them for these demanding positions.
Moderators
Rudy Castruita EdD ’83, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Mike Escalante EdD ’02, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Cuauhtemoc Avila EdD ’11, Superintendent, Rialto Unified School District
Kevin Baxter EdD ’04, Superintendent, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Mary McNeil MS ’80 PhD ’96, Superintendent, Needles Unified School District
Nicole Tempel Assisi EdD ’10, Founder & CEO, Thrive Public Schools
Putting Your Best Foot Forward – Successful Job Search Strategies
Learn how to use the tools associated with the job search – resumes, cover letters, networking and interviewing – to your advantage. Hear advice from a panel of experts that will empower you to take a more proactive approach to career management.
Moderator
Kathy Frazier ’79 MS ’82 EdD ’08, Superintendent, Southeast ROP
Panelists
John Bertrand MS ’97 PhD ’05, Senior Associate Director, MBA Career Resource Center, USC Marshall School of Business
Lori Shreve-Blake ’88, Senior Director, Alumni & Student Career Services, USC Career Center
TBD
What Keeps You Up At Night: Critical Issues Facing Educational Leaders
Today’s leaders in K-12 and higher education settings face a wide range of new challenges resulting from changing expectations of students and parents, advances in technology, the impact of social media and increased scrutiny from a variety of constituents and external sources. Learn how seasoned leaders are tackling these and other issues.
Moderator
Kathy Thorossian EdD ’09, Superintendent, Monrovia Unified School District
Panelists
Kevin Colaner EdD ’06, Associate Vice President for Student Services, Cal Poly Pomona
Chuck Hinman EdD ’01, Superintendent, West Covina Unified School District
Meg Palisoc ’96, ME ’98, EdD ’13, Co-Founder & CEO, Synergy Academies
Kaneesha Tarrant EdD ’06, Vice President, Student Services, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Women in Leadership: A View From The Top
Women aspiring to leadership positions face a different set of obstacles than men. Once they are established in leadership roles there are also unique challenges they encounter. Our panel of seasoned education leaders will share their career journeys and lessons learned along the way. Through this discussion, we hope to inspire and empower the next wave of women leaders in education.
Moderator
Maria Ott PhD ’94, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Reveta Franklin Bowers ’70, Head of School, Center for Early Education (Retired)
Karen Symms Gallagher, Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
Michelle King, Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District