Penn GSE has named Jessica Richard director of its School Leadership program. The appointment follows her service as interim director, helping guide the program through a year of growth and momentum while maintaining its focus on culturally responsive, innovative, and reflective leadership.
The announcement was made by Laurie Hall, vice dean of executive programs, who praised Richard’s dedication to preparing the next generation of school leaders.
“She has demonstrated exceptional leadership, deep expertise, and a strong commitment to our students and alumni,” Hall said. “We are delighted to officially welcome her as director of the School Leadership program.”
In addition to higher education experience, Richard brings more than 20 years of experience in K–12 education and educational leadership to the role. Her career has included leadership positions across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including impactful work as a principal and chief academic officer. Across those roles, she developed a strong record of improving instruction, building collaborative teams, supporting teacher development, strengthening school culture, and designing systems focused on student achievement.
Richard first joined the program as associate director in 2020. Over the past year, as interim director, she provided steady leadership while helping the program deepen its commitment to practice-based preparation, meaningful collaboration, and the development of leaders prepared to meet the evolving needs of schools and communities.
Her leadership reflects the core mission of the program: connecting research with practice in ways that help educators lead meaningful and sustainable change. Richard has worked to strengthen the student experience, support cohort-based learning anchored in research, elevate collaboration among educators from a range of school settings, and advance the professional networks that make the program a lasting community for students and alumni.
In her new role, Richard is focused on building on that foundation while continuing to refine the program’s curriculum to reflect the complex realities of contemporary school leadership. These updates will emphasize inquiry-driven leadership, experiential learning, culturally responsive school leadership, and field-based application, ensuring that students engage deeply with real-world challenges and learn to lead in ways that are reflective, inclusive, and grounded in evidence.
Going forward, Richard will continue to strengthen partnerships across public and independent school contexts, expand opportunities for students to apply leadership theory in real-world settings, and deepen alumni engagement. This work will serve to advance the program’s mission to prepare graduates to lead instructional improvement, support educators, build trust with families and communities, and create school environments where all stakeholders can thrive.
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