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Dr. Elizabeth Keenan, Superintendent of Schools
314.989.8281 / ekeenan@ssdmo.org
Dr. Elizabeth Keenan joined the District as SSD superintendent in July 2019.Dr. Keenan began her career in education as a special education teacher. She also served as a school principal before joining a school district in a suburb of Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota, as director of special services followed by director of curriculum and instruction. In 2011, Dr. Keenan joined Saint Paul (Minnesota) Public Schools as assistant superintendent of the office of specialized services.
Prior to joining SSD, Dr. Keenan had held the position of chief officer of the office of diverse learners and health and wellness for Chicago Public Schools since 2016. In her position, she focused on supporting students with special needs to ensure they are prepared for post-secondary success.
Dr. Keenan holds a doctorate in Leadership Studies from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She also earned a specialist’s degree, a master’s degree in special education and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
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Wendi Pendergrass, Chief Academic Officer of Schools and Academic Programming
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Doug Austin, Chief Technology Officer
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Dr. Jeff Haug, Chief Operations Officer
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Amy Schechter, Chief Human Resources Officer
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Dr. Kelly Grigsby, Executive Director of Schools and Programs
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Dr. Mollie Bolton, Executive Director of Teaching, Learning and Accountability
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Chaketa Mack-Riddle, Executive Director of Partner Districts
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Alan Wheat, Executive Director of Student Services
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Kevin Andert, Executive Director of Career Technical Education and College & Career Readiness
Wendi Pendergrass was appointed SSD's chief academic officer in 2020, overseeing these areas: schools; teaching, learning and accountability; partner districts, student services; and career technical education and college career readiness.
Doug Austin was appointed chief technology officer in June 2013. He began his career at SSD in 2004 as systems administrator and was promoted to the director of information systems in 2011, and to interim chief technology officer in 2012.
Jeff Haug was appointed SSD's chief operations officer in 2020, overseeing core data, custodial services, facilities and operations, finance, food service, grounds and landscaping, mailroom, materials management, payroll, purchasing, safety and security, and transportation.
Amy Schechter was appointed chief human resources officer in July 2019. She worked as assistant superintendent of human resources for Riverview Gardens School District from 2014 to 2019, and had served as a human resources manager and then human resources director for SSD for seven years prior to beginning her work at Riverview Gardens.
Kelly Grigsby was appointed in 2020 as SSD's executive director of schools and programs. She began her career at SSD in 2000 as a teacher at the student support center. She then worked as an administrative intern before becoming an SSD area coordinator in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. She previously served as the principal at SSD’s Ackerman School since 2007.
Mollie Bolton was appointed in 2020 as SSD's executive director of teaching, learning and accountability. She had previously served since 2012 as SSD’s coordinator of curriculum and instruction. Prior to that, she worked as an SSD literacy coach, a reading specialist in the Ritenour School District and an SSD special education teacher.
Chaketa Mack-Riddle was appointed in 2020 as SSD's executive director of partner districts. She had previously served since 2016 as the assistant superintendent of student, family and community support services in the Riverview Gardens School District, where she supervised the guidance program, social worker services, student transfers, district intervention programs, students in transition (SIT), educational larceny, community resources, health services, safety and security. She also served as the liaison to SSD for special education services. She also worked as a middle school principal and an assistant middle school principal in Riverview Gardens. She began her career in education as an SSD paraprofessional in 1997 and then worked as an SSD teacher for six years from 1999 to 2005.
Alan Wheat was appointed in 2020 as SSD's executive director of student services. He had previously served since 2014 as the director of student services at SSD. During his career with the District, Wheat also was the SSD special education director in Riverview Gardens for three years, as well as a special education teacher at the middle-school level.
Kevin Andert was appointed in 2020 as SSD's executive director of career technical education and college and career readiness. He joined SSD in 2014 as a facilitator of program certification and previously served as manager of college and career readiness. Prior to that, he worked as a career technical education (CTE) transition specialist for St. Louis Community College and as an admissions counselor for Ranken Technical College.