BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND FEATURED SPEAKERS
Disrupting the Status Quo: Women in the Superintendency
The 2018 California Superintendent of the Year, newly appointed Superintendent of the Glendale Unified School District, and three successful retired superintendents will share how they used their positions to disrupt the status quo. Each served as a “first woman” superintendent and used the influence of their positions to change the conversation about leadership, equity, and impact. A panel format will reveal the success secrets of these amazing women.
Presenters
Vivian Ekchian EdD ’19, Superintendent, Glendale Unified School District and Former Interim Superintendent, LAUSD
Carmella Franco, Superintendent Search Consultant, Hazard Young Attea & Associates
Mary McNeil MS ’80, PhD ’96, Superintendent, Needles Unified School District
Maria Ott PhD ’94, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Darline Robles PhD ’93, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
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
Melissa Moore EdD ’14, Superintendent, El Segundo Unified School District
Panelists
Susan Friedman MS ’10, EdD ’13, Senior Instructional Systems Designer, Boeing
Brandon Martinez BA ’95, EdD ’09, Director, Learning Development, Noodle Partners
Benjamin Quinones, Jr. MAT TESOL ’10, Consultant – Player Development, Los Angeles Dodgers
Educational Equity in L.A.: District leaders’ views and an emerging research agenda
How are school districts advancing equity in their schools? What are the biggest challenges they face, what strategies are they using, and how do they understand equity? The USC Rossier Center on Education Policy, Equity and Governance spoke to over 140 school and district leaders and community advocates to better understand what educational equity looks like on the ground in Los Angeles, and where researchers can provide insight to move equity forward in schools.
Presenters
Julie Marsh, Professor of Education; Co-Director, Center on Education Policy, Equity and Governance, USC Rossier School of Education
Leadership & Collaboration in Higher Education
Our panel of seasoned higher education administrators will share their thoughts on current trends impacting student affairs and discuss the importance of cross-campus collaboration to meet these challenges.
Moderator
TBD, Position Title, Employer
Panelists
Kevin Colaner EdD ’06, Assistant Vice President/Chief of Operations, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Dan Hirsch ME ’09, Dean of Campus Life, Pitzer College
Raquel Torres Retana EdD ’07, Director, Rosemead Site , Pasadena City College
Leadership Perspectives
What defines a leader? How do you know if you’re ready or prepared to assume a leadership role in an organization? In this session, you will hear from four dynamic and influential leaders in K-12, higher education and corporate who are invested in the success of their organizations. Each panelist will share their experience as transformative leaders and their leadership philosophy.
Moderator
Greg Franklin BA ’83, EdD ’97, Superintendent, Tustin Unified School District
Panelists
James Colon EdD ’17, Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Children’s Institute, Inc.
Paul Gothold EdD ’17, Superintendent, San Diego County Office of Education
Cheryl Marshall EdD ’01, Chancellor, North Orange County Community College District
Leading the Modern School District: How change management, artificial intelligence, and deep learning will be skillsets of the modern school or district administrator
Join district leaders and industry experts as they engage in dialogue about the modernization of learning. How does innovation continue to extend the student experience? In this session, we will explore how AI is shaping the future of learning, discuss what effective change management means in today’s political culture, and learn how technology software can create economies of scale for transitioning traditional classrooms into modern learning environments.
Presenters
Ann Chavez EdD ’10, Co-Founder and VP, Growth & Innovation, Modern Teacher
Shawn Smith EdD ’05, Chief Executive Officer, Modern Teacher
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
Catherine Kawaguchi EdD ’14, Superintendent, Sulphur Springs Unified School District
Panelists
Patricia Brent-Sanco EdD ’16, Director of Equity, Lynwood Unified School District
Manuel Burciaga EdD ’17, Principal, Covina Valley Unified School District
Michael Gotto EdD ’14, Director, Human Resources, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
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.
Moderator
Rudy Castruita EdD ’82, Irving R. and Virginia Archer Melbo Chair in Education Administration, USC Rossier School of Education
Mike Escalante EdD ’02, Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Shelley Adams EdD ’17, Superintendent, Baldy View ROP
Nicole Assisi EdD ’10, Founder and CEO, Thrive Public Schools
Froilan Mendoza EdD ’17, Superintendent, Baldwin Park Unified School District
Pathways to Teaching in Higher Education
Are you interesting in teaching in a university setting? From tenure track teaching opportunities to clinical professorships and adjunct positions, there are several options available. Hear from current faculty members as they share their advice on getting hired, balancing the demands of teaching and tips for success.
Moderator
Dave Cash EdD ’08, Position Executive in Residence, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Lauren Casella EdD ’18, Assistant Clinical Faculty and Program Director, Loyola Marymount University
Charles Flores EdD ’10, Assistant Professor of Educational Administration, California State University-Los Angeles
Akilah Lyons-Moore MAT ’10, EdD ’14, Assistant Professor of Clinical Education, USC Rossier School of Education
When Natural Disaster Strikes: Leadership Lessons
Over the past few years, California has experienced several devastating wildfires and mudslides resulting in loss of life, property damage and community disruption. In this session three superintendents who led their districts through natural disasters will share insights on emergency preparation, disaster response and recovery.
Moderator
John Roach EdD ’88, Adjunct Faculty, USC Rossier School of Education
Panelists
Robert Haley EdD ’01, Superintendent, San Dieguito Union High School District
Doug Kimberly EdD ’08, Superintendent, Lake Elsinore Unified School District
Susan Salcido EdD ’18, Superintendent, Santa Barbara County Office of Education