2024 Rural Superintendent Academy Cohort

The fourth cohort of Rural Superintendent Academy (RSA) Fellows includes superintendents and district and school leaders from districts across the state. These leaders will engage in focused convenings and field visits to establish a cohesive, relationship-based, professional network through which key leadership competencies are coached, experienced, and mastered. 

Anthony Asmus is the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary and K-8s in the Greeley/Evans School District. He also oversees schools support, on-time graduation efforts, district athletics, career and technical education, and concurrent enrollment. Anthony is committed to enhancing educational opportunities and supporting student success across the district.

Kate Bartlett has been a part of the public education leadership community in Colorado since 2010. She served as a district leader in Lake County from 2010-19 during a period of intense academic turnaround before going on to work at the state level. Kate served as the Executive Director of School District Operations at the Colorado Department of Education and then as Associate Director of the Colorado School Finance Project before returning to Lake County to become the superintendent.

Over the last 20 years, I have held various roles including elementary teacher, reading interventionist, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, and now superintendent! Everything I do is rooted in strong relationships and the belief that we can always grow and learn from each other.

Stacie Datteri serves as the Superintendent in Lewis-Palmer School District 38. Stacie holds a doctorate in educational leadership and has served as a district-level administrator for 23 years.  At her core, Stacie is committed to working alongside her leadership team to provide students with multiple possibilities and create programs that support every child to build a strong foundation so that they will thrive in school and in life. Outside her district, Dr. Datteri has presented at the state and national level on topics such as personalized learning, blended instructional practice, and English language development.

I’ve been in education for 25 years, with the last 13 years as an elementary principal in Monte Vista. During that time, I’ve helped lead our school from turnaround to performance ratings and earn a Governor’s Bright Spot Award in the fall of 2022. In 2023, I was selected as the Gifted and Talented Administrator of the Year for Colorado. I look forward to continuing my career in Monte Vista as the next superintendent in July 2026.

I am currently the superintendent at Centennial School District R-1. My journey in education began after serving my country in the United States Marines. I attended Adams State College to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education and later a master’s degree in educational leadership, and then followed an administrative path. I have been a P.E teacher, coach, athletic director, dean of students, assistant principal and am now in my second go as a superintendent and ready for the Rural Superintendent Academy.

Peder Hansen is a passionate educator with 23 years of experience across all levels of the educational system. He has served as a principal, district program coordinator, elementary and secondary classroom teacher, STEM coordinator, and librarian. His mission in education, and as the founder of a technology-focused nonprofit, is empowering students and teachers to leverage the power of education to make a difference in their local and global community.

Dr. Jistine Harrison is the new Superintendent of Park County School District Re-2. She brings 23 years of experience in education from both small rural districts and larger metropolitan districts, primarily in Colorado. Her background encompasses general education, special education, and intervention teaching, in addition to administrative roles in support services, coaching, and various district responsibilities. Trust, transparency, respect, and compassion are the foundational pieces in which Dr. Harrison leads by to facilitate success for students in rural communities through equitable, diverse, and exceptional opportunities and experiences.

Sarah Hepworth feels privileged to have been part of so many students’ and families’ lives over her past 31 years of education. Those years provided opportunities to consistently grow and learn at all levels of public education (pre-K through high school), during which she worked in various teaching and administrative positions, all in a rural setting. She is excited to advance her career to district-level leadership.

Offering more than two decades of educational leadership in public and higher education, Joseph Hermocillo is passionate about student learning with a multidisciplinary background serving as a teacher, administrator, consultant, adjunct professor, and community volunteer. Joseph deeply values educational team leadership for making key connections, growing your own, and leveraging funding to connect students and staff with opportunities for success.

Dr. Tom Meyer has been a superintendent in Iowa for the past 10 years and a middle school/high school principal for eight years, among other roles in his 28 years in education. Meyer has been involved with personalized learning programs modeled after High Tech High and Iowa Big where students choose the direction of their learning to meet standards, along with the development of several innovative programs to enrich the learning of students through engagement, with a focus on rigor, relevance, and relationships.

I am a third generation Calhan School District graduate (2003), and although education was not my original path, I have served our district in many roles over the past 12 years, including assistant football and baseball coach, head varsity baseball coach, middle school math teacher, assistant principal/athletic director, secondary principal, and now superintendent. It is my goal to maintain the upward trajectory of Calhan School District established by our previous superintendent, David Slothower, in providing a 21st century education, while maintaining the rural school culture that keeps families in Calhan and that brings new families to Calhan.

I am proud to be the principal of Lincoln School of Science & Technology and am entering my 20th year in education. Previously, I was an assistant principal, a middle school teacher of different subjects, and a teacher with the Colorado Department of Corrections. My wife, who is also an educator, and I are happy to call Cañon City our home. Our children currently attend elementary and middle schools in our district.

I am entering my 25th year in education, having worked as an elementary teacher, a high school and elementary school assistant principal, and an elementary school principal, and am now beginning my second year as Superintendent of Hayden School District RE-1. After spending most of my life on the Front Range, the connectedness that is part of living in a small town drew me to Hayden. I hope to continue to develop a district where teachers want to teach, students want to learn, and the community of Hayden is proud to call its own

With over three decades dedicated to education, I’ve spent the last 31 years serving the Trinidad School District. My journey began as a middle school math and science teacher, transitioning to high school chemistry and physics. For the past 24 years, I’ve embraced leadership roles, including four years as high school assistant principal and 20 years as a middle school principal. 

In these roles, I’ve been a driving force behind policy implementation and educational initiatives, fostering a school culture rooted in academic excellence and personal growth. I’ve worked tirelessly to create an environment where both students and staff thrive.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve Colorado communities as a teacher, an assistant principal, Colorado Principal of the Year Finalist, and a Special Education/AU Director. I contribute any accomplishment I may have had during my career to the talented people who have surrounded me through the years. I am excited about what is yet to come!

I am excited to be the new Superintendent for Holly School District and I have been with the district for 10 years as the previous Business Manager/CFO. I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration from West Texas A&M and recently completed the Executive Leadership Administrator License from University of Colorado Denver. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling with my husband and our two daughters.

Julie Shue is an experienced educational leader with a diverse background in K-12 educational systems, curriculum and instruction, and teacher development. She brings innovative strategies and a passion for community engagement to enhance student success. Julie’s leadership is marked by a dedication to fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments.

Tera Spangler is the Superintendent at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB). She is an advocate for accessibility and language access for Deaf, Blind, and DeafBlind students and has been in the field in various roles for 24 years.

Carrie Stephenson, Ph.D., is a dedicated educator with over 34 years of experience in public education and is known for her leadership and advocacy for authentic, rigorous learning experiences. Currently serving as Superintendent of Montrose County School District, she successfully transitioned from a leadership role in Colorado’s Front Range to give back to her hometown, Montrose. With a strong background in systems thinking, strategic planning, and community engagement, Carrie fosters collaborative environments and innovative educational programs, continually aiming to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for all students.

Tom Vail recently retired from the state of Montana. He has worked in public schools as a teacher/coach, principal, and superintendent. Tom has primarily worked in Alaska and Montana. He will be the new Superintendent at Cotopaxi Consolidated Schools in Cotopaxi. Go Pirates!