Speakers

• Dr. Steve Joel Former Superintendent, Lincoln, NE
  

  Dr. Steve Joel

  Former Superintendent, Lincoln, NE

  After serving as a superintendent for 37 years, Dr. Joel recently retired after 12 years in Lincoln, Nebraska. Previously, he served for ten years as superintendent in Grand Island, Nebraska, and eight years in Beatrice, Nebraska, with two stints in smaller, rural districts in Kansas. A native of Long Island, New York, he has degrees from Doane College, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Kansas State University.

  Dr. Joel’s leadership has focused on comprehensive solutions to significant school and community issues. Lincoln Public Schools grew rapidly to over 42,000 students and 8,000 staff members. With Dr. Joel’s leadership, the district adopted two strategic plans centered on transforming teaching and learning to reflect 21st Century education, passed two significant bond issues to address a growing population, and created numerous 9-12 grade pathways that included a 1,000 student Career Academy in partnership with the local community college.

  Dr. Joel’s professional interests and involvements are centered on coaching leaders to maximize their strengths to become more successful, working with school boards and superintendents to develop high performance teams and strategic thinking and planning. Through AASA, Joel has been a mentor/teacher in the Urban Superintendent’s Academy and has conducted numerous superintendent searches throughout the country for a national consulting firm. Joel believes an essential element necessary for the success of any district is to hire the right superintendent and then invest in the growth and development of a collaborative leadership team that can work together to create successful outcomes for children and families.

  Dr. Joel has been honored with a wide variety of awards and distinctions including: Nebraska Superintendent of the Year and Leadership Excellence by the Educational Resource Development Institute. He is active in many community clubs and coalitions, and serves on a number of local, state and national boards.

• Kamela Patton Superintendent, Collier County Public Schools
  

  Kamela Patton

  Superintendent, Collier County Public Schools

  Kamela Patton is in her eleventh year as Superintendent of Collier County Public Schools (CCPS). She joined the district in June of 2011.

  During the last ten years, Dr. Patton has enhanced existing programs, instituted new technological tools, improved internal and external communications, and initiated new programs that resulted in a direct increase in student achievement. Under Dr. Patton’s direction, CCPS has improved its district ranking to tie for 5th in the State from 33rd just nine years ago. This success is clearly seen in the number of students that have increased their performance on state tests. The percentage of students exceeding the state average has skyrocketed to 100% in 2021 from 30% in 2011. The district graduation rate has also risen significantly to 92.2% in 2020 from 72.5% in 2011, an increase of 19.7%.

  While academic success is the key focus of the school district, under Dr. Patton’s leadership, the district plans to be debt free within 4.5 years, a time period which includes building a new high school.

  As part of the new three-year strategic plan created under Dr. Patton’s direction, the school district is focused on preparing students to be College, Career, and Life Ready. This will be accomplished through an emphasis on academics, culture, and leadership while also highlighting the importance of a high-quality staff with a strong succession management plan, fiscal responsibility, and communication.

  Over the past ten years, Dr. Patton has received a number of accolades and awards. Most recently, Dr. Patton has received the 2021 Naples Daily News Outstanding Citizen of the Year, 50 Florida Influencers, Naples Top 100 Distinction, Americans United Annual Civic Award, Leadership Collier Distinguished Alumni Award, Naples Illustrated Top 100, Excellence in Civic Leadership Award the Naples Top 100 Distinction, 2018 Lavan Dukes District Data Leader of the Year Award, the 2018 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Distinguished Leader Award, the 2018 Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Superintendent of the Year Award, and received the prestigious honor of being the 2017 Star Superintendent Award from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. Additionally, she was named one of Naples Illustrated 20 Leading Ladies of Naples along with being named a 2017 Gulfshore Life Magazine Men and Women of the Year honoree, as well as being recognized as a Woman of Distinction in History for Diversity and an eSchool Learning National Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award Winner. She is the recipient of the Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (SUNSPRA) Outstanding Superintendent Communicator Award. Dr. Patton was named by Gulfshore Business as one of the 41 People with the Most Clout in Southwest Florida and a Power Woman by Florida Weekly magazine. She is a member of numerous local boards and a graduate of Leadership Florida, Leadership Collier and the FBI Citizens Academy.