Our History

With the National Education Association declaring union status in the late 1960s and the American Association of School Administrators spinning off to a separate organization, superintendents, principals and other central office administrators in North Carolina realized a new administrators’ organization could better represent their interests. Twenty-nine (29) of the state’s most influential central office administrators (mostly local superintendents) attended an all-day meeting in Moore County on January 30, 1976, to explore launching this new entity.

The North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) emerged from this group’s ongoing work on June 22, 1976, with membership open to all administrative and supervisory personnel at the school, school system and state levels, as well as to university professors of education administration.

NCASA was reshaped, effective July 1, 2005, as a true umbrella organization uniting 12 affiliates representing different facets of school administration. As part of this unification, the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals’ Association (NCPAPA) became NCASA’s affiliate for school-based administrators and replaced the organization’s former Principals’ and Assistant Principals’ Section. A new affiliate, the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA), also was launched at the same time.

Today, NCSSA and NCPAPA remain as core affiliates funded through the NCASA budget and focusing on professional development and other needs of superintendents and principals in their work. Ten other groups of administrators unite with these core affiliates to guide the work of NCASA, whose mission is ensuring student success through visionary leadership.

A small and dedicated NCASA staff now provides more than 7,000 members support services through timely communications, effective and non-partisan advocacy, and high-quality professional development all aimed at helping NC school administrators.

LEAD | INSPIRE | ACHIEVE

NCASA Leadership

NCASA has been fortunate over its more than 45-year history to have had strong elected leadership and to benefit from the wisdom, devotion and hard work of its staff. From the volunteer work of Edison Powers in 1976-77, the following people have led the Association on a day-to-day basis as Executive Director:

  • Alvin Hooks, part-time, ASU | 1977-1978  
  • Raymond Sarbaugh | 1978-1989
  • Ossie Fields, six months | 1989-1990
  • Joe Bryson, part-time, UNC-G | 1990
  • Dudley Flood | 1991-1996
  • Jan Crotts | 1996-2003
  • Katherine W. Joyce, interim, six months | 2003
  • Jim Causby | 2004-2006
  • Katherine W. Joyce, interim, six months | 2006
  • Bill McNeal | 2006-2011
  • Larry Price | 2011-2013
  • Katherine W. Joyce | 2013 – present
NCASA has been blessed with a cadre of very strong, dedicated and capable presidents representing all geographical areas of the state, all membership constituencies, and reflecting NCASA’s cultural, ethnic, and gender considerations. Listed here are the persons who have served the Association as President:
  • 1976-77   Robert E. Lee, Moore County School
  • 1977-78   Joe Fries, Cabarrus County Schools 
  • 1978-79   Doris Lewis, Harnett County Schools
  • 1979-80   Gladys Britt, Department of Public Instruction
  • 1980-81   Frank Yeager, Durham County Schools
  • 1981-82   Larry Sides, Charlotte/Mecklenburg Schools
  • 1982-83   Jean Haislip, Goldsboro City Schools
  • 1983-84   Roger Jackson, Ashe County Schools
  • 1984-85   Betty West, Davie County Schools
  • 1985-86   Harold Gillis, Hoke County Schools
  • 1986-87   Cleveland Hammonds, Durham City Schools 
  • 1987-88   Mac Forde, Scotland County Schools
  • 1988-89   Nancy Nuckols, Davidson County Schools
  • 1989-90   Jim Causby, Polk County Schools
  • 1990-91   Trudy Blake, Robeson County Schools
  • 1991-92   John Dunn, Edenton/Chowan County Schools
  • 1992-93   Shirley Johnson, Durham City Schools
  • 1993-94   Jim Simeon, Lexington City Schools
  • 1994-95   John Guard, Edenton/Chowan County Schools 
  • 1995-96   Sherron Crawford, McDowell County Schools
  • 1996-97   Mal Brown, Buncombe County Schools
  • 1997-98   David Bryant, Edgecombe County Schools
  • 1998-99   Wendell Hall, Hertford County Schools
  • 1999-00   Ricky Lopes, Cumberland County Schools
  • 2000-01   Harold Winkler, Cabarrus County Schools
  • 2001-02   Joseph Richardson, Richmond County Schools
  • 2002-03   Ann Denlinger, Durham Public Schools
  • 2003-04   Kerry Crutchfield, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
  • 2004-05   Rick Stout, Pamlico County Schools
  • 2005-06   Carl Harris, Durham Public Schools
  • 2006-07   Brenda Jones, Durham Public Schools
  • 2007-08   Jeff McDaris, Transylvania County Schools
  • 2008-09   Evan Myers, Davidson County Schools
  • 2009-10   Larry Price, Wilson County Schools
  • 2010-11   Melisa Jessup, Stokes County Schools
  • 2011-12   Dan Brigman, Macon County Schools
  • 2012-13   Steve Ellis, Wilson County Schools
  • 2013-14   Scott Denton, Durham Public Schools
  • 2014-15   Rodney Shotwell, Rockingham County Public Schools
  • 2015-16   Jennifer Dean, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
  • 2016-17   Jeff Hollamon, Onslow County Public Schools
  • 2017-18   Patrick Miller, Greene County Schools
  • 2018-19   Matt Wight, Wake County Schools
  • 2019-20   Glenda Jones, Cabarrus County Schools
  • 2020-2021 Ethan Lenker, Pitt County Schools
  • 2021-2022 Brad Richardson, Rutherford County Schools
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