Dr. Jon Bartelt
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Dr. Jon Bartelt has served as a public school superintendent for 22 of his 33 years in education. His leadership experience encompasses both rural and suburban school settings. He currently is entering his 12 th year as superintendent of schools of Bloomingdale School District 13 in northeastern DuPage County. Jon earned his doctorate in Education Leadership from Loyola University of Chicago and his Master’s in Education Leadership at Harvard University. He has served as President of the DuPage Division of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Suburban Superintendents Association, and is Secretary/Treasurer of the Educational League of Illinois. Jon is passionate about service in the community and has served as president of the Bloomingdale Roselle Rotary Club and as the vice president of the Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce. He has presented on issues of leadership and culture for local and national organizations including, most recently, the American Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance, the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators, and the Illinois Association of School Administrators.
Mr. Bob Gold
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Mr. Bob Gold has served 28 years in public education, with 22 of those years in various administrative roles at the school, district, and state levels. He earned his Education Specialist’s degree from Western Illinois University and his Master’s in Education Leadership from Illinois State University. He served as the Superintendent of Eureka CUSD140 in central Illinois for 2 years and has just completed his 7th year as the Superintendent of Big Hollow School District 38 in Lake County located in the far northeast corner of Illinois. Mr. Gold also held a position as an Associate Superintendent at the Arizona Department of Education working under the State Superintendent leading the Highly Effective Schools Division. In his local region, Bob has recently completed a term as president of the Lake County Superintendent’s organization, and has also been involved in various other community boards and organizations. In July, he will begin serving on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Administrators.
Dr. Kara Coglianese
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Dr. Kara Coglianese has served in education for more than 30 years with a notable tenure as a public-school superintendent in both elementary and unit districts since 2012. Currently, she holds the position of superintendent at Crete-Monee 201-U School District, located in Crete, Illinois, just 50 miles south of Chicago. Dr. Coglianese’s academic journey is marked by her diverse educational background, including a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University, a Certificate of Advanced Studies from Northern Illinois University, and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree also from National Louis University. An accomplished educator and thought leader, Dr. Coglianese has not only presented locally and nationally on Future Ready education but has also authored numerous articles featured in publications such as the Illinois School Board Journal and the AASA School Administrator Journal. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom as she has contributed to the United Way Board of Directors and the Future Ready Education Board, in addition to her service as a National Louis University graduate adjunct professor..
Dr. Carrie Hruby
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Carrie Hruby began her career in public education 28 years ago as a second grade teacher in central Illinois. She also has experience teaching middle school and working for ISBE. Beginning in 2005, Carrie served the Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District as the Assistant Superintendent and then was promoted as the Superintendent in 2012. She currently serves as the Superintendent of O’Fallon District 90 in southwestern Illinois where she relocated with her family in 2015. Carrie’s experience as a Superintendent is both in a unit district and in an elementary district. Carrie completed her doctoral studies at Illinois State University. She has presented at the IASB/IASA/IASBO Joint Annual Conference on many topics over her career, as well as locally and within her community. Carrie is the author of Comfy Shoes and Keychains: Tips for Women in Leadership, a book published in 2023 by Rowman & Littlefield. Carrie is also the co-creator and facilitator of IASA's first female superintendent cohort, Elevate.
Dr. Michael Lubelfeld
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Michael Lubelfeld Ed.D. has served as a public school educator for more than 30 years, starting in 1993 as a middle school teacher in Bensenville, IL. He has been a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010. He currently serves as the superintendent of schools in the North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, and Highwood, IL north of Chicago. Lubelfeld earned his Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction from the Loyola University of Chicago where he is a part-time instructor. He is also adjunct faculty at National Louis University in the Department of Educational Leadership. In 2017 he was named superintendent of the year in his county, Lake County, IL. Mike was awarded the 2021 Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from Loyola University of Chicago School of Education. He can be found on Twitter at @mikelubelfeld, and he co-moderates #suptchat - the monthly superintendent educational chat on Twitter. He co-authored the 2017 Rowman & Littlefield book The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today and the 2018 Rowman & Littlefield book Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, and the 2021 Rowman & Littlefield book The Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development. His latest book, the Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself, will be out fall 2023. Mike has spoken around the USA and the world on leadership, student voice, and global service. Mike also co-leads the Aspiring Superintendent Academy leadership training for the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA).
Dr. Nick Polyak
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Dr. Nick Polyak has worked in public education for the past 22 years. He currently serves as the Superintendent for Leyden Community High School District #212 in suburban Chicago. Nick earned his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Loyola University Chicago. He holds a Master of Arts Degree from Governors State University. Dr. Polyak’s undergraduate work was at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education. Nick is a co-moderator of #suptchat, the international Twitter Chat for Superintendents. He co-authored the 2017 Rowman & Littlefield book The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today, the 2018 Rowman & Littlefield book Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, and the 2021 Rowman & Littlefield book The Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development. He also co-leads the IASA Illinois Aspiring Superintendent Academy, the AASA National Aspiring Superintendent Academy, and the AASA Transformational Leadership Consortium.
Dr. Harry Rossi
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Dr. Harry Rossi is a life-long educator who has served in teaching and administrative capacities at every level from elementary school through the university level. Dr. Rossi founded and was President of an education advocacy organization with a membership of one hundred districts. Over the last eighteen years he has led or participated in almost one hundred executive searches. Dr. Rossi retired from public school administration after serving eighteen years as Superintendent of Schools in the Northbrook/Glenview School District 30. During his career, he was nominated to be the Illinois Superintendent of the Year and in 2017 was awarded the American Association of School Administrators Distinguished Service Award, a national honor given to administrators who have made a major impact in the field of education through service and advocacy. Dr. Rossi received his Doctorate in Educational Administration from Loyola University Chicago, where he served as an Adjunct Professor for twenty years. Currently, he serves a part-time administrator in the Loyola School of Education as well as the Chair of the School of Education Advisory Committee and a Past President and Current Member of the Loyola National Alumni Advisory. For his contributions to Loyola University and the field of education, Dr. Rossi received the prestigious Damen Award. In addition to his Board work at Loyola University, Dr. Rossi serves as a Board Member for the Joseph Academy Foundation. Throughout his career, Dr. Rossi has mentored scores of successful school administrators. This mentoring continues to this day.
Dr. Matt Seaton
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Dr. Matt Seaton is currently the Chief Financial Officer at the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Prior to this position, he served as the Vice President for Business Services Finance/Treasurer at Illinois Valley Community College. He was also the Superintendent at Streator Township High School District #40 from 2014 to 2021. Previously Matt served as Superintendent at Red Hill CUSD #10. Matt earned his doctorate in 2019 from Illinois State University. While there, he won the prestigious award of CPED Dissertation of the Year. Matt’s interest areas include developing leadership skills in young professionals to build the next generation of effective school leaders. Matt has served as the Region President for the Starved Rock Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) and has served as the legislative liaison for the region to the IASA. Matt currently lives in Springfield, IL, with his wife Jill, a school principal, and his six children.
Dr. Ken Spells
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Dr. Spells is a student-centered educator with 23 years of experience as a public school educator and 9 years as a university professor. He has experience at every level. Dr. Spells has been an elementary principal, middle and high school teacher, middle school assistant principal, assistant superintendent, university professor, and superintendent. He is currently serving as superintendent of Hazel Crest 152 ½ in Hazel Crest, Illinois. Previously, he was the superintendent of Alton Community Unit School District 11 and South Bend Community Schools. Dr. Spells has received numerous local, state, and national awards for his leadership. In 2014, he was one of 117 superintendents invited to the White House as part of the ConnectEd Initiative. He also was awarded ISBE “Those Who Excel” award of excellence and a proclamation from the City of South Bend for his leadership as superintendent. Dr. Spells is a proud veteran of the United States Navy.
Mr. Matt Stines
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Mr. Matt Stines is into his 23rd year of public education, currently serving the last 12 as Superintendent for Grant CCSD #110, in Fairview Heights, IL. Upon completion of his Bachelor’s degree at Knox College, Matt worked as a paraprofessional and subsequently taught at Pathways School, a public day school for students with behavior and emotional disorders, part of the Belleville Area Special Services Co-operative. Once conferred his Master’s Degree from Southern IL University- Edwardsville, Matt moved into administration as a Special Education Director, Middle School Principal, and Assistant Superintendent for Grant, prior to taking over as Superintendent. Mr. Stines received his Educational Specialist’s Degree from University of Illinois Springfield and is currently finishing his doctorate through Western IL University. Mr. Stines has served in a variety of leadership positions throughout his career. He is currently the President of the Southwest Division for IASA, has been the chairman of the board for BASSC, is the current President of the Belleville Area Superintendents Association, as well as leadership roles in his local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. Matt is a fellow of the inaugural cohort of IL School for Advanced Leadership through IASA, and has since served as a coach for the subsequent five cohorts, and is also part of the design team for the program. Mr. Stines has had the privilege of presenting at the Joint Annual Conference, IASA annual conference, and has also delivered numerous administrator academies. Matt has also been named as a Superintendent of Distinction by IASA in 2015 and presented an Outstanding Superintendent Award by SWIPA in 2014.