Overview

The K-12 Leadership Summit is an invitation-only gathering of superintendents and senior district leaders hosted by the Center for Digital Education. This closed-door, peer-to-peer forum brings together educational and industry leaders to exchange ideas, compare strategies, and shape the future of K-12 leadership and innovation.

The summit begins with a networking dinner, followed by a full day of focused, candid discussions. Topics reflect the real-world responsibilities and strategic priorities shared by superintendents and their CIO partners today, including:

• Sustainable funding, legislative shifts, and long-term district planning
• Cybersecurity resilience, data privacy, compliance, and systemwide risk management
• Responsible AI integration to support teaching, learning, operations, and student well-being
• Leadership practices that strengthen culture, clarity, communication, and community trust
• Talent development, educator capacity, and strategies to support an overstretched workforce
• Modernizing processes, student information systems, and digital tools to improve service delivery
• Enhancing the parent, student, and educator digital experience across all district touchpoints

This is a working session—not a conference. Attendees leave with practical insights, meaningful connections, and strategies to strengthen resilience, accelerate innovation, and deliver better outcomes for the communities they serve.

Speakers

David Long

Superintendent, Beaver County School District

David Long is Superintendent of Beaver County School District in Beaver, Utah, where he leads a small rural district of roughly 1,450 students across five schools. He serves on the boards of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), the Utah Rural School Boards Association, the Southwest Educational Development Center, and the ULEAD Education committee, and brings a rural-district perspective to statewide conversations on education technology, connectivity, and infrastructure policy. Under his leadership, Beaver County has pursued innovative approaches to school connectivity and cooperative infrastructure, reflecting his broader interest in how rural communities can build resilient, community-controlled technology systems.

More

Michael Ballone

Superintendent of Schools, Marlboro Township Public Schools

Michael Ballone serves as Superintendent of the Marlboro Township Public Schools (MTPS), a PreK–8 district in suburban Monmouth County, New Jersey, serving approximately 4,600 students. Under Michael’s leadership, he and his team have implemented creative and strategic budget solutions to address the extraordinary rise in healthcare and other operating costs facing school districts nationwide while protecting the educational experience for students.

More

Dr. David Christopher

Superintendent, West Chester Area School District

Dr. David Christopher has spent the past 30 years serving Pennsylvania public schools as both a teacher and administrator, with experience in small rural districts as well as large suburban systems. Dr. Christopher earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Juniata College and both a master’s degree and doctorate in Educational Leadership from Shippensburg University. For the past three years, Dr. Christopher has served as Superintendent of the West Chester Area School District. Currently, Dr. Christopher is president of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and serves on the advisory board of the National Center for Education Research and Technology.

More

Dr. George F Fiore

Executive Director, Chester County Intermediate Unit

Dr. George F. Fiore is Executive Director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), a position he has held since 2019, where he leads expanded services and regional programs. He serves as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU) Board of Directors and is a past President of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA). His leadership experience includes serving as Superintendent of Kutztown Area School District, High School Principal at Wilson School District, and Founding Headmaster of the nationally recognized Downingtown STEM Academy. Dr. Fiore holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University, AASA National Superintendent Certification, and multiple Pennsylvania Department of Education credentials. He is also an author and active board member of organizations including the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Children's Fund of Chester County.

More

Dr. Brian Graham

Superintendent, Grand Island Central School District

Dr. Brian Graham is the Superintendent of the Grand Island Central School District in Western New York, where he is beginning his 11th year leading the district. An educator and administrator with more than three decades of experience, he has served as a special education teacher, elementary and middle school principal, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Graham has become a recognized voice in the emerging field of artificial intelligence in education, helping school leaders explore how AI can strengthen leadership, teaching, learning, and organizational effectiveness while maintaining a clear focus on responsible implementation.

More

Kris Hagel

Chief Information Officer, Peninsula School District

Kris Hagel is a visionary education technology leader with over two decades of experience transforming K-12 learning environments. As the Chief Information Officer for Peninsula School District in Washington, Kris masterfully bridges the worlds of cutting-edge technology and effective pedagogy. With a unique blend of technical expertise and deep understanding of instructional practices, Kris has become a driving force in creating technology environments that support Universal Design for Learning principles. His leadership extends beyond IT, encompassing communications and school safety & security, demonstrating a holistic approach to educational excellence.

More

Dr. Jeff Horton

Superintendent, Rush City Public Schools

Dr. Jeff Horton, the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year, serves as Superintendent of Rush City Public Schools. He is dedicating this coming school year to a collaborative vision themed "Listen. Reflect. Transform." By continuously embedding the community’s voice into district governance over the next year, he is guiding the creation of a shared "Portrait of a Graduate" and a new, board-approved strategic plan. Renowned as a transformational turnaround superintendent, Dr. Horton partners with stakeholders to collectively build and implement a future that leads the way in education.

More

Melissa Kleiman, Ed.S

Director of Pupil Services, West Chester Area School District

With more than 20 years of experience in education, Melissa Kleiman has been fortunate to serve students, families, and educators across the Philadelphia, Upper Darby, and West Chester Area School Districts. She began her career as a special education teacher after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Temple University and went on to earn both her Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees in School Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Melissa has served as a school psychologist and special education supervisor and is currently in her fifth year as the Director of Pupil Services for the West Chester Area School District. Throughout her career, Melissa has been passionate about supporting schools and teams in using data to better understand student needs, making informed decisions, and ultimately helping all students succeed.

More

Dr. Tim McCormick

Director of Technology, Ephrata Area School District

Dr. Tim McCormick is the Director of Technology for Ephrata Area School District in Pennsylvania and a trainer with the University of Pennsylvania’s PASS program, Pioneering AI in School Systems. Drawing on his experience as a classroom teacher, technology instructional coach, and district leader, Dr. McCormick focuses on helping educators use artificial intelligence in practical, responsible ways that strengthen planning, instruction, differentiation, and student learning. His work emphasizes building educator confidence with AI while addressing the real-world considerations of privacy, safety, and sound instructional practice.

More

Dr. Samuel Mormando

Director of Educational Systems and Strategic Programming, Garnet Valley School District

Dr. Samuel Mormando is the Director of Educational Systems and Strategic Programming for the Garnet Valley School District in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and the founder of Edvative Learning, an award-winning educational nonprofit organization. A recognized leader in artificial intelligence in education, Dr. Mormando serves on the K-12 AI Advisory Boards for OpenAI and Harrisburg University. He is also an active member of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality. Through this work, he contributes to the development of AI endorsement programs and guidance designed to prepare educators for the evolving demands of teaching and learning.

More

Dr. Leanna Mullen

Student Data Coordinator, Egg Harbor Township School District

Dr. Leanna Mullen is the Student Data Coordinator for the Egg Harbor Township School District, NJ. She works in District Administration within the Office of Curriculum and Instruction, where she analyzes universal screening data to help guide targeted MTSS supports for students. She is a leader on the district's Innovation Team and Professional Development Committee, helping support education technology and AI integration in the classroom. Dr. Mullen also established the district's Data Governance Team, bringing departments together to streamline systems and provide more consistency for analysis and reporting.

More

Nader Najjar

Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation, Indian Prairie School District 204

Nader Najjar serves as Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation for Indian Prairie School District 204, a 34-school district in suburban Chicago. In his role, he leads districtwide work focused on innovation, professional learning, equity, and leadership development, with an emphasis on strengthening learning across schools and building organizational capacity. His current work includes helping lead the district’s approach to artificial intelligence, purposeful technology use, and the development of systems and guidance that support responsible innovation in K–12 education. Nader is particularly interested in how emerging technologies can strengthen teaching, learning, and leadership while keeping student needs and sound educational practice at the center.

More

Kalia M. Reynolds, Ed.D.

Deputy Superintendent / Chief Academic Officer, West Chester Area School District

Dr. Kalia Reynolds is a transformative educational leader serving as the Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer in the West Chester Area School District in Exton, PA. Kalia is also an adjunct professor at Delaware State University and Neumann University where she teaches doctoral level courses. A former teacher, principal, and district director, she earned the U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon School Award and served as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Delaware. Guided by Maya Angelou's charge — "When you know better, do better" — Dr. Reynolds leads every community she serves as a builder and cultivator. Her core leadership values are see, smile, and succeed.

More

Stephen Safranek

Chief Information Security Officer, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Stephen leads the university’s information security, risk management, and incident response programs. He has over twenty years experience addressing cybersecurity challenges in higher education, including identity and access management, security awareness, and incident response. Stephen also works as a cybersecurity consultant, advising organizations on security strategy, risk, and designing/delivering security-related training exercises. His approach focuses on building practical, sustainable security programs that balance risk reduction with the operational needs of complex organizations.

More

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Council Partner

Council Partner

Council Partner

Council Partner

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: September 22 and 23, 2026

This is an invitation-only event, open to Public Sector only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact Lindsay Anthis.

Sponsorship is open to Industry members of the K-12 Leadership Council Program only. To learn more about becoming an Industry member, please contact Heather Earney.

This event is open to all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants.

Contact Information

Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:

Lindsay Anthis
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1495
E-mail: lanthis@erepublic.com

Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:

Mireya Gaton
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 296-2617
E-mail: mgaton@erepublic.com

Sponsorship is open to Industry members of the K-12 Leadership Council Program only. To learn more about becoming an Industry member, please contact:

Heather Earney
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com