Urban Superintendent Academy welcomes Cohort 11

The AASA-USC Rossier Urban Superintendents Academy (USA) proudly welcomed Cohort 11 at the Urban Leadership Retreat, held September 12–13 at USC. This new group of national leaders, representing districts in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri and California, are preparing to step into the role of school district superintendent at a time when bold leadership in urban districts is more critical than ever.

Founded by Maria Ott EdD ’94 and offered in partnership with the School Superintendents Association (AASA), the Urban Superintendents Academy is a unique leadership development program where aspiring superintendents learn directly from current and retired district leaders. Participants explore the realities of the role and the powerful impact superintendents can have in bringing together diverse communities of learners.

The retreat opened with USC Rossier Dean Pedro Noguera, who spoke on “leading through adversity.” Sessions included Traci Davis, retired superintendent of Washoe County, who shared her journey of leading with equity and navigating political contexts; and David Cash EdD ’08 and Vivian Ekchian EdD ’19, USC Rossier faculty, who discussed pathways to securing a first superintendency. Participants also engaged in experiential team building and communication projects at the USC Marshall School’s Experiential Learning Center, honing essential leadership skills.

Day two began with remarks from Ott and inspiring stories from award-winning superintendent Mark Bedell (Kansas City Public Schools) and Darin Brawley EdD ’17 (Compton Unified), who both emphasized equity-focused leadership. The day concluded with a hands-on communication exercise, where participants crafted and presented briefs on pressing leadership scenarios.

Beyond the formal sessions, the group enjoyed campus life with lunch at EVK Dining Hall and a celebratory dinner at Honors Hall—special thanks to Javier Zarate and the USC staff for making these experiences memorable. Blessed with sunny skies and cool weather, the retreat was both productive and energizing.

Cohort 11 is off to a strong start, and the Trojan Family proudly cheers them on as they embark on a transformative year of growth and leadership development.