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New Leaders Join SUSD Superintendent’s Cabinet

New Leaders Join SUSD Superintendent’s Cabinet

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (July 17, 2024) – Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is pleased to welcome two new members to its leadership team.  Dr. Heather Cruz will oversee the district’s Human Resources department; Lea Mitchell will direct SUSD’s instructional and professional development programs.  Both hold the title of Assistant Superintendent.  Their appointments were confirmed by the SUSD Governing Board in June.

Cruz joins Superintendent Scott Menzel’s Cabinet and is charged with helping implement the district’s commitment to attract and retain highly qualified and talented employees.  She is the district’s administrative officer for all personnel matters.  In that role, she is charged with implementing personnel policies and procedures, recruitment and hiring efforts, employee evaluations and terminations, and making salary recommendations.

Cruz received her doctoral degree in Education in 2010 from Arizona State University (ASU).  Her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees were earned from ASU and Northern Arizona University.  Cruz joins SUSD from the Cartwright Elementary School District in Phoenix, where she served as Assistant Director of Human Resources, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Resources and, most recently, as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.  

Her leadership experience also includes positions as associate, assistant and deputy superintendent with the Arizona Department of Education, Litchfield Elementary and Peoria Unified School districts, respectively.  Previously, she was a middle school principal and assistant principal.  She started her career as a middle and high school science and chorus teacher.

“I am thrilled to join the Scottsdale Unified School District as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources,” said Cruz.  “I am excited to support and develop our talented educators and staff, ensuring we foster a positive and inclusive work environment.  My goal is to attract, retain, and nurture the best professionals to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students.”

Mitchell is Menzel’s other new Cabinet member, who has returned to Arizona after 20 years in education in the states of Kentucky, Colorado and, most recently, Florida.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from ASU in 2002, taking teaching positions in the Balsz Elementary School District in Phoenix upon graduation.  From there, she headed to Lexington, Ky., where she held a variety of positions at a local elementary school, including serving as an English Language Learner coach, fifth grade teacher, and Title I lead teacher, then Title 1 coordinator, leading the school’s reading team and its highly successful early reading intervention, summer reading and language enrichment programs.

During this time, Mitchell received her Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Kentucky.  Then it was off to Colorado, where Mitchell was assistant principal and principal at two suburban Denver schools.  In 2016, she became the Director of the Office for Leading and Learning in the Pasco County School District in west central Florida.  There, she was responsible for overseeing K-12 curriculum and instruction, professional learning, and enriched programming for 80,000 students across nearly 100 schools. 

“It is wonderful to be back in sunny Arizona, and serving the students, families and staff of SUSD,” said Mitchell.  “While attending ASU, I had the pleasure of spending time learning from the teachers and students in SUSD.  All these years later, I still see that same commitment to excellence and a clear focus on providing world-class opportunities to students.”  

“I am excited for the opportunity to bring my experience in teaching, learning, and leading to help elevate and support the great work that is happening here and ensuring that SUSD’s educational services are high-quality and reflect the needs of the students, family and school community,” added SUSD’s new Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services.

Dr. Menzel is looking forward to collaborating with the new assistant superintendents.  “The depth and breadth of experience that Dr. Cruz and Mrs. Mitchell bring to SUSD not only complement but extend the leadership qualities of our team.  I anticipate their making impactful contributions to the district’s decision-making process.”

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About the Scottsdale Unified School District
With more than 21,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 126 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, X: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.