About
Superintendents are defenders of our children’s right to a high-quality public education, leading their teams toward effective, sustainable solutions to age-old problems. They must be at the center of discussions around when, where, and how innovation will affect teaching and learning.
Many education solution providers, funders, researchers, and thought leaders are mission-driven: they do what they do to improve student outcomes.
The Institute for Education Innovation bridges the gaps between the individuals and organizations committed to seeing students succeed in school and life, creating a safe space for constructive problem-solving and innovative thinking.
Our Core Values
Continuous Professional Learning
High-quality, peer-to-peer learning opportunities set the stage for superintendents and edtech leaders to advance their professional and personal practice.
Community Stewardship
Summits bring together communities of practitioners improving outcomes for kids through creative thinking and strategic planning—we create a safe space for K–12 businesses and investors to learn from education leaders the issues ripe for innovative solutions.
Opportunity Cultivation
When educators broaden their professional and personal circles, they improve their ability to learn, grow, and problem-solve. In a dialog-rich environment, emerging and growth-oriented K–12 organizations can uncover potential partnership opportunities with innovative superintendents and the school systems they lead.
Our Team
Doug Roberts, Founder & CEO
Doug has worked with leading ed tech entrepreneurs and district administrators for almost 20 years, developing partnerships that improve outcomes for students and help nascent organizations get their "sea legs."
As Founder and President of Educational Solutions Consulting, Doug found that there was a piece of the puzzle missing, a barrier between those who run school districts and those who start companies to help school districts. He partnered with some of the nation's most innovative educational leaders to form IEI to bridge that gap.
A Princeton graduate, Doug is a former public high school social studies teacher and ed tech business development executive who earned his Ed.M. in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
Tiffany Law, Events and Operations Manager
Tiffany has had a long and successful career in hospitality and event management, cutting her teeth in the restaurant business as a general manager specializing in launching restaurants from the ground up. At IEI, Tiffany leverages her talents to ensure every IEI attendee has a productive and stress-free experience from end to end. Tiffany’s passion and tireless efforts are the fuel that fires the IEI engine.
Board of Directors
MR. MATT COLE
Matt is superintendent of New York’s Livonia School District. Before becoming superintendent, Cole served as Livonia’s elementary school principal, its curriculum coordinator/staff developer, and a social studies teacher.
Dr. Paul Shaw
Paul is a two-time State Superintendent of the Year who led Georgia’s White County School District and South Carolina’s York School District 1. He was a member of the Georgia School Superintendents Association’s board of directors and president of the South Carolina Association of School Superintendents.
Paul holds an Ed.D. from University of South Carolina, an M.A. from Western Carolina University, and a B.S. from University of South Carolina.
MS. PATRICIA SULLIVAN-KRISS
Patricia serves as superintendent of West Hempstead Union Free School District in New York. Prior to that, she led Hauppauge School District for ten years, and has been a deputy superintendent, an assistant superintendent, an elementary principal, and a special education teacher. She and her husband have four children.
Advisors
Ms. Traci Davis
Traci is superintendent of the Washoe County—the second-largest school district in Nevada, serving over 64,000 students—where she oversees day-to-day activities and manages the strategic plan in accordance with established goals.
Prior to Washoe County, Traci worked for sixteen years in the Clark County School District as a teacher, Title I interventionist, assistant principal, principal, and area superintendent. During her tenure, she developed programs to increase student achievement and implemented programming to target predicted high school dropouts in an attempt to increase graduation rates. During her career, she has leverages her leadership skills to help transform K–12 learning environments.
Dr. Susan Enfield
A former high school teacher, Superintendent Enfield served as Chief Academic Officer and then as Interim Superintendent for Seattle Public Schools before joining Highline Public Schools in 2012. She previously held leadership positions in Evergreen Public Schools, Portland Public Schools, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Susan is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and earned master’s degrees from Stanford University and Harvard University. She also holds a doctoral degree in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard’s Urban Superintendents Program.
Dr. Art Fessler
Art has served as the superintendent of CCSD 59, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, since 2013. Prior to that, he was superintendent of Oak Lawn-Hometown District 123, and he is a former principal and assistant superintendent. Art specializes in instructional leadership, with a specific interest in the Leadership for Learning framework. He has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
MR. HENRY GRISHMAN
Henry Grishman, who leads Jericho Public Schools in New York, has served as a superintendent for nearly 40 years. As a teacher, he enjoyed with working with kids and watching them grow, but set his sights on improving school systems to affect the greatest positive impact on students. In a rapidly changing world, he focuses on educating kids so they are adjusted to the accelerated pace of change, prepared for the jobs of the future, which means he’s three steps ahead, and have the social-emotional skills to thrive.
MR. STEPHEN MURLEY
Stephen Murley has served as superintendent of Iowa City Community Schools since 2010. Prior to arriving in Iowa, Steve served three school districts in Wisconsin as a teacher, coach, building administrator, human resources director, and superintendent.
Mr. John Welch
John is superintendent of the Puget Sound Educational Service District, which serves more than 420,000 PreK–12 students across Washington's greater Seattle-Tacoma region. The vision of the agency is to ensure success for each child and eliminate opportunity gap and while leading for racial equity.
A former superintendent of Highline Public Schools and Vice President for Business and Administrative Services for South Seattle College, John holds an M.B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University. He is a graduate of the Broad Urban Superintendent’s Academy and has taken executive development courses at Harvard University, Stanford University and University of Denver.