About
Theory of Action
Focused on strategic communications and public engagement, Leading Now enables superintendents to access and apply messages and trust-building strategies in service of ALL students.
Origin Story
While K-12 superintendents have always been public officials, the role has never been as political as it is now: curriculum, professional development, and school board dynamics are subject to high-stakes scrutiny and fast-moving state legislation. Our country needs courageous leaders at the top of every system to prioritize and accelerate student learning, addressing years of inequities and the devastating effects of a pandemic.
We started Leading Now in 2021 to offer a combination of peer-driven learning cohorts and tech-enabled professional learning to a broad range of superintendents across the country. With the right support, superintendents can defuse tension and seize the opportunity of this moment to rally adults around the potential and needs of ALL children.
Mora Segal and Caitlin Sullivan
Co-founders
Our Community
How we work
We provide district and system leaders with strategic communications resources and strategies within a trusting community of peers so that they may navigate their environments intentionally and advance their student-centered priorities. Member benefits includes:
Learning Cohorts
- One in-person convening and four virtual sessions over the course of 15 weeks
- Cohort sessions are grounded in a leader’s problem of practice and include an expert briefing + resources that superintendents can immediately apply
Direct support and tailored referrals
- Strategic advisors available for just-in-time assistance to navigate particularly intense or complex situations
- Connections with partner organizations that can lean in to priorities adjacent to strategic communications (e.g., academic strategy, talent recruitment)
Virtual Community
- Monthly briefing sessions, a password-protected resource library, Slack channels for peer and expert connectivity
Beliefs
Our Team
The center of gravity of our work: 200+ superintendents from across the country who have joined learning cohorts and programming with us since fall 2021. The team of staff and advisors below are committed to serving the strengths and needs of our community.
Team
Caitlin
Sullivan
Co-Founder &
Executive Director
Mora
Segal
Co-Founder &
Senior Advisor
Elizabeth
Dill
Operations &
Finance Director
Dannie
Frank
Operations
Manager
Anisa Sullivan Jimenez
Managing Director, Programming & Communications
Malik
Ray
Membership
Director
Advisors
dr. Cheryl
Watson-Harris
Board Chair, Superintendent in Residence, President/Executive Director, Achieve Atlanta
Andrea Foggy-Paxton
Founder & CEO,
Foggy-Paxton Consulting
JoSEPH
Hettler
Chief Partnership Officer,
K12 Coalition
Andy
Plattner
President,
Plattner Communications
Dr. Andre Spencer
Superintendent,
Teaneck Public Schools (NJ)