Jennifer Cheatham, senior lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education, speaks on the topic of political leadership in the role of being a superintendent. She uses her experience as a previous superintendent herself to give advice on how to best support students as a district leader.

Cheatham emphasizes the importance of leading with your values and standing by them amid challenging environments.

This video was produced by Sarah Musso at the 2026 AASA National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn.