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.

Since 2013, Pendergrass has been SSD’s executive director of schools and programs. She began her career at SSD in 2001 as a teacher in the Bridges program, and also worked as an SSD area coordinator in the Ritenour School District and as the principal at Bridges.

Pendergrass has an educational specialist degree in educational leadership and earned a master’s degree in educational leadership. Certifications held include elementary education 1-8, mild/moderate behavior disorder K-12, principal 9-12, and special education administration K-12.

314.989.8327 / wpendergrass@ssdmo.org

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.

Prior to working at SSD, Austin served as the director of technology services for New Horizons Computer Learning Center.

Austin holds a wide range of certifications in security technologies, networking, enterprise systems administration and enterprise resource planning software technologies.

314.989.8699 / daustin@ssdmo.org

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.

Haug previously served as the Chief Financial Officer in the Meramec Valley R-III School District, where he worked since 2017. He is a member of the Missouri Association of School Business Officials’ Legislative Committee and a member of the CSD Retirement Trust Board.

Haug has a doctorate in educational leadership, earned a master’s degree in educational administration, and holds Missouri superintendent certification. In previous positions, he has served as an assistant superintendent for Instruction, as a director of support services, as a school principal and as a social studies teacher.

314.989.8150 / jhaug@ssdmo.org

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.

Schechter holds the designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from the Society for Human Resources Management, and holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Maryville University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in teaching, both from Webster University. 

314.989.8295 / aschechter@ssdmo.org

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.

Andert has a master’s degree in adult and higher education administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science.

314.989.8242 / kgandert@ssdmo.org

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.

Bolton has a doctorate in leadership in teaching and learning, earned a specialist degree in special education curriculum and instruction, and holds a master’s degree in special education. She is an adjunct professor at Maryville University and at Fontbonne University, and is secretary of the Missouri Literacy Association Board.

314.989.8517 / mbolton@ssdmo.org

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.

Grigsby earned a doctorate in educational leadership, holds an education specialist degree in educational administration, has master’s degrees in special education and educational administration, and a bachelor’s degree in criminology. She is an adjunct instructor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

314.989.8486 / kgrigsby@ssdmo.org

Jennifer Henry was appointed as SSD's executive director of communications in September 2020.

Prior to joining SSD, Henry spent nearly 14 years in the Francis Howell School District. While there, she served the district’s communications and public relations needs as a communications specialist, coordinator and manager. 

Henry has earned multiple awards for her work in school communications, including the “35 Under 35” recognition from the National School Public Relations Association. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications.

314.989.8288 / jchenry@ssdmo.org

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.

Mack-Riddle holds an educational specialist’s degree leadership, earned a master’s degree in educational administration and has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and special education.

314.989.8151 / cmack-riddle@ssdmo.org

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.

Wheat has a master’s degree in educational administration. He also is trained as an examiner for Midwest Excellence Institute (MEI), the official state-level partner of the National Baldrige Performance Excellence program.

314.989.8130 / awheat@ssdmo.org