AASA Urban Superintendents Academy will celebrate its 10 years of influence with many of the education leaders who benefited from its influential training programs on the eve of the National Conference of Education in New Orleans. 

Titled “A Decade of Impact: Urban Leadership Jubilee,” the black-tie affair will begin at 7 p.m. on Wed., March 5, at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans, Grand Ballroom A. The event commemorates the 10th anniversary of AASA’s Urban Superintendents Academy in partnership with its higher education collaborators Howard University in Washington, D.C., and University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education in Los Angeles.  

Both deans of the prestigious university partners will be present: Pedro Noguera, the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops dean at the USC Rossier School of Education, and Dawn Williams, dean of the Howard University School of Education. 

“We will be celebrating a decade of extraordinary achievements by visionary public school leaders who have transformed education in urban communities and looking ahead to the future of urban education,” said Jessica Gordon, who serves as the academy’s program manager.  

She said the event will serve as a reunion of past graduates, about 200 of whom are expected to be on hand. The special event will feature lively music, dinner and an inspiring awards ceremony honoring three outstanding leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to student equity and inclusivity, making a lasting impact on their districts and communities. 

All awardees are graduates of the AASA Urban Superintendents Academy. 

• Collective Impact Award, being given to Traci Davis, former superintendent of Washoe County School District, Reno, Nev. This award recognizes a leader who drove transformative change through collaboration and meaningful partnerships in urban education. 

• Dr. Joe Hairston Award, being given to Naya Hamlett, superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in North Carolina. This award honors a current superintendent who exemplifies visionary leadership, inclusivity, innovation and mentorship. 

• Emerging Leader Award, being given to Nadia Bennett, founder and CEO of When Brown Girls Lead. This award celebrates a rising leader who shows exceptional promise, innovation and dedication to educational equity early in their career. 

The Jubilee’s corporate sponsors are Battelle for Kids, Audio Enhancement, Graduation Alliance, McKinstry, McGraw Hill and Curriculum Associates.