The Officers and Directors of the Horace Mann League of the USA
Dr. Laurie Barron is in her twenty-third year in education, serving as a
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high school English teacher, a middle school assistant principal, and nine years as a middle school principal. Since 2013, she has served as the superintendent of the Evergreen School District in Kalispell, Montana. Barron holds a BSEd in English Education from the University of Georgia, a MEd in Supervision and Administration from the University of West Georgia, and an EdS and EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota. She also studied abroad at Oxford University. She holds National Superintendent Certification through AASA, is a National Board Certified Teacher, was honored as Teacher of the Year and STAR Teacher and is the 2013 NASSP/MetLife National Middle School Principal of the Year. Barron co-authored Middle School: A Place to Belong and Become (2017) and What Parents Need to Know about Common Core and Other College- and Career-Ready Standards (2015) as well as numerous education articles. Barron is a national speaker who provides motivation and professional learning to teachers and administrators through promoting student engagement and voice, shared leadership, data-driven decision making, standards-based assessment, and inclusive teaching and learning environments. Most importantly, Barron believes that building relationships with staff and students while celebrating what staff and students do right is the key to success in any school.
Dr. Lisa Parady, President-Elect
This week’s feature is about Dr. Lisa Parady, Vice President of the Horace Mann League.
Dr. Lisa Skiles Parady became the Executive Director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators in 2014 and has brought her energy and passion to the position. The Mission of ACSA is: Leadership, Unity, and Advocacy for Public Education.
Dr. Parady has stated, “We need unity across education and with our communities to face the challenges ahead for public education. As an organization, our job is to create understanding and to fulfill the dream we all share, of public education as the great equalizer in a democratic society, where every student has the chance to make the most of themselves.” She was recruited for the position after six years in Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow) as the Assistant Superintendent of the North Slope Borough School District. She led the district’s curriculum and evaluation processes and dealt with the many issues that confront rural districts – teacher recruitment and retention, engaging students with a curriculum that matters to them, and the day-to-day challenges of school and district administration.
Before moving to Alaska, she served as Chief of Staff in the Wyoming Department of Education, as Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and as Senior Policy Analyst in the Governor’s office responsible for all k-12 education, higher education, health and social service issues. Dr. Parady holds a Juris Doctorate and a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Administration. She is married to Fred Parady, has four daughters and two granddaughters.
Dr. James Harvey,
Dr. Eric King, Past President
Eric A. King, Ph.D., is a former Superintendent of Schools in Indiana and
Illinois. He previously served in various educational leadership positions in Illinois school districts. He has served as an educational consultant for Chicago Public Schools and currently coordinates leadership development for select administrators of the school district.
Educationally, he earned his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, completed post graduate studies in Administration at Concordia University of Chicago and earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University of Chicago. He received advanced educational leadership training at Loyola University, Rome, Italy, Beijing University, China and Oxford University, England.
Dr. King has served his profession as a member of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Administrators and the Indiana Urban Schools Association. He is Past-President of the Superintendents Institute of America and the Superintendents Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity. He currently serves as President of the Horace Mann League of the U.S.A. He has experience organizing and conducting educational workshops, seminars and conferences at the local, state and national level.
Dr. King’s international travels include Apostle Paul’s Third Missionary Journey. He visited the ancient cities of the first century church in Croatia, Greece, Italy and Turkey. He participated in missionary trips to Ecuador, South America and Uganda, Africa where he provided leadership development and training for the local and area leaders.
Dr. King continues to impact public education as a consultant, motivational speaker and servant leader.
Dr. Ember Conley, Superintendent of the Mesa Public Schools, AZ.
Conley was superintendent at Park City School District in Utah. Previously she served as the deputy superintendent, director of assessment and an elementary school principal at Maricopa Unified School District in Arizona. She began her education career as a classroom teacher in Colorado.
Conley received her Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University, her elementary teaching certificate from Fort Lewis College, her Master of Arts in K-12 Administration and Policy from the University of Colorado Denver, and her educational doctorate in curriculum and leadership from Argosy University, Phoenix.
“One of the most important things that we can do as educators is to engage and challenge our students so they want to be at school,” Conley
said during the Meet the Finalists livestream March 5. “It takes a laser focus to establish a vision and get people excited. We’re going to do great things for kids.”
Dr. Brent Clark
Dr. Brent Clark was named Executive Director of IASA in 2006, and heads up the statewide association that represents more than 1,750 active and retired superintendents and school administrators. During his tenure at IASA, Dr. Clark has been instrumental in:
Designing and implementing a post-doctoral program for superintendents;
- Creating a professional development department to train school administrators in effective instructional management and leadership methodologies;
Dr. Clark also is an adjunct professor at Southern Illinois University, where he teaches graduate level courses to school administrators pursuing their superintendent’s certification. He received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Chemistry from Olivet Nazarene University, and both his Master’s of Science in Educational Administration and his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University.
Prior to becoming the Executive Director of IASA, Dr. Clark was a teacher and principal before becoming a superintendent in the Thompsonville, Benton and Belleville school districts. As you can see, he brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and a comprehensive view of public education and the superintendency.
Dr. Martha Bruckner
Dr. Martha Bruckner is currently the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Omaha Education Consortium’s Collective Impact Initiative. Before that, Martha was Superintendent of the Council Bluffs Community School (8 years), Assistant Superintendent of the Millard Public Schools in Omaha (5 years), Associate Professor and Department Chair at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (7 years), and teacher and principal at Ralston High School in Omaha. Dr. Bruckner earned her BA, MA, and doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is also the Past President of ASCD. Martha has been a member of the Horace Mann League since 1996, served on the HML Board, and later as President for the 2017 term.
Dr. Talisa Dixon
Superintendent, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District
Dr. Talisa Dixon is in her fifth year leading the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, after joining the community from the Saginaw Public School District in Michigan and having previously worked in Akron and Columbus schools.
Since taking over as superintendent, Dr. Dixon has launched forward-thinking initiatives and efforts, all designed to better align District practices with the needs and expectations of our community and to serve all our students.
Among her first major steps was leading students, parents, staff, the Board of Education and community leaders, on a year-long process to develop a comprehensive strategic plan. The ultimate goal of this plan is to ensure that students are prepared for educational and career pursuits upon graduation. It demands accountability and sets high expectations for everyone connected with the schools, from teachers and staff to students, parents, and community members.
Under Dr. Dixon’s leadership, CH-UH has been at the forefront in striving for educational equity and ensuring an inclusive environment and opportunities for all students. The District was the first in Northeast Ohio to adopt an official Board of Education policy on educational equity, which includes systems to implement and evaluate the equity work happening in CH-UH.
Dr. Dixon was among 25 women leaders from the non-profit community who were selected to participate in the 2018 AASA National Women’s Leadership Consortium. She is a member of the 10th class of the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP), and out of 700 graduates, was selected as a recipient of the Educator Inspired to Lead Award. She has also been honored by Dress for Success Cleveland with the organization’s Walking in Success honors in 2015.
Dr. Dixon serves on the Cleveland Metro American Heart Association Board of Directors, the Governing Board and Executive Committee for MSAN (Minority Student Achievement Network), and the Board of Directors for the Positive Education Program (PEP) of Cleveland.
A native of Oxford, Mississippi, Dr. Dixon received her bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Mississippi Valley State University. She earned three masters of arts degrees (Sociology, Educational Administration, and Secondary Education) and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration from the University of Akron.
Jack McKay, Executive Director,
Dr. McKay is in his 23rd year as Director of the Horace Mann League. Prior to and during his role as Executive Director, he was awarded Emeritus Professor and served as Department Chair in Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, served as the Association Dean at Central Washington University, and Department Chair in Ed. Ad. at the University, Superintendent of Schools in Washington, as well as a high school principal, teacher, and coach. During his career, he has published two books, 24 journal articles, and 34 presentations at professional conferences.
Jack earned his BA and MA at Central Washington University and his Ed.D. at Washington State University. He has post-doctoral studies at Teachers College. Hobbies include photography and golf. While in college Jack was a U.S. Forest Service smokejumper. Jack is married to Judy, a former teacher. They have two children and four grandchildren. Currently, Jack is a school board member of Chimacum WA School District and President of his high school alumni association.
