Reston, VA—The Board of Directors of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has selected Ronn Nozoe as NASSP’s chief executive officer. Nozoe, who brings significant experience in education, policy development at state and federal levels, and nonprofit leadership, will join NASSP on December 1, 2020.

A lifelong educator, Nozoe has served as associate executive director, interim executive director, and senior adviser at ASCD since 2015. During that time, he led the development of some of ASCD’s most high-profile programs, including the ASCD Whole Child Network and ASCD Activate, an online professional development library of resources. Nozoe joined ASCD after an appointment as deputy assistant secretary for policy and programs at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked on initiatives to build state and local capacity in the areas of teacher quality, school safety, rural education, and migrant and Indian education. In his home state of Hawaii, Nozoe served as deputy state superintendent from 2010–15, during which he oversaw the adoption of Common-Core state standards, amplified the principal’s voice in statewide decisions with the creation of the Deputy’s Principal Roundtable, and leveraged federal Race to the Top funds and School Improvement Grants to increase statewide achievement, graduation rates, and college enrollment. Prior to that, he served as district superintendent of the Farrington/Kaiser/Kalani complexes, and as a principal, vice principal, and teacher in various schools across the state. Nozoe holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in education and teaching, both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

“Ronn is about building relationships—making all stakeholders feel heard, respected, and part of the whole,” said NASSP President Robert Motley, who led the CEO search committee. “Yet throughout his career in education leadership at all levels and in nonprofit organizations, Ronn has exerted particular effort to make sure the principal’s voice is heard. That commitment stems from his deep belief that the principal understands best the nuanced impact that policies have on schools, and it makes him an ideal fit for NASSP.” 

As NASSP CEO, Nozoe will be charged with expanding the reach and impact of NASSP among education leaders, particularly through the Building Ranks™ framework for school leadership. He will also seek to amplify student voice by engaging more students in NASSP leadership opportunities. On the federal policy front, Nozoe will build on and grow NASSP’s stalwart advocacy for immediate pandemic relief for schools and for policies that support school leadership and promote educational equity.

Nozoe succeeds JoAnn Bartoletti, who is retiring after serving as NASSP executive director and CEO since 2011.

About NASSP

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for principals and other school leaders across the United States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student’s potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the success of each student. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Student Council.