Dr. Susana Córdova Named Board Chair of Women Leading Ed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2026
Washington, DC — Today, Women Leading Ed announced that Colorado Commissioner of Education Dr. Susana Córdova has been named Chair of the Women Leading Ed Fiduciary Board, succeeding Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, who has served with distinction during a period of major growth for the national bipartisan network.
“Dr. Córdova has been part of Women Leading Ed since the beginning: before there was a national WLE Summit, before there was a powerful movement at scale, when this was simply a group of forward-thinking leaders sitting together and naming what had to change.” said Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, Founder of Women Leading Ed. “At every step in her career, she has demonstrated both a boldness of vision and a firm belief in what leaders can make possible for students. She builds on the remarkable progress of our founding board chair, Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell who guided our work with strength and purpose during our first five years. Susana is exactly the leader to carry that work forward into its next chapter.”
Dr. Córdova’s appointment marks a powerful full-circle moment for Women Leading Ed. She was part of the organization from its earliest days, including the first gathering that would become the Women Leading Ed Summit. From that small conference room to a national nonprofit network serving leaders in all 50 states and D.C., Dr. Córdova has helped shape the organization’s purpose, community, and direction as both a founding member and founding advisory board member.
She is also the first Latina to serve as Board Chair.
“I have been part of Women Leading Ed since its earliest conversations because the work has always been about more than leadership titles,” said Dr. Susana Córdova. “It is about what becomes possible when women leaders are connected, supported, and positioned to lead on behalf of students and communities. I am honored to follow Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell’s leadership and to help guide this board as Women Leading Ed continues to grow from a powerful idea into a national force for lasting change.”
Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, the outgoing board chair, called Dr. Córdova the right leader in this critical moment of growth for the organization.
“Serving as founding board chair of Women Leading Ed has been one of the great honors of my leadership journey,” said Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell. “From the beginning, this network has been about building the relationships and collective power women leaders need to create lasting change for students and communities. Susana has been there since the earliest days, helping shape the spirit and substance of this work. She is a proven leader and the right person to guide Women Leading Ed into its next chapter.”
Under Dr. Johnson-Trammell’s board leadership, Women Leading Ed continued to expand its national footprint, deepen its research and programming, and strengthen its role as a leading voice on the future of education leadership.
“Kyla’s leadership has meant so much to Women Leading Ed,” said Dr. Rafal-Baer. “She has brought wisdom, strategy, and heart to this work at every turn. We are stronger because of her service, and we are grateful that her impact will remain part of WLE’s story.”
Dr. Córdova and Dr. Johnson-Trammell will both continue to serve on the Women Leading Ed Advisory Board, which is composed of top state and district leaders. The advisory board guides the organization in its mission to cultivate bold, visionary leaders, who are ready to tackle the toughest challenges states and districts face and make lasting impact. Advisory Board members include:
Kirsten Baesler – Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
Dr. Susana Córdova – Commissioner, Colorado Department of Education
Dr. Margaret Crespo – Superintendent-in-Residence, ILO Group and former superintendent
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis – Superintendent, Cherokee County School District, GA
Dr. Susan Enfield – Executive Director, University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership and former superintendent
Dr. LaTonya Goffney – Superintendent, Aldine Independent School District, TX
Angélica Infante-Green – Commissioner, Rhode Island Department of Education
Emily Hartnett – Executive Director, Women Leading Ed
Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell – CEO, Oakland Thrives and former superintendent
Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer – Founder, Women Leading Ed
Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora – Superintendent, Tomball ISD, TX
Dr. LaTanya McDade – Superintendent, Prince William County Public Schools, VA
Dr. Denise Watts – Superintendent, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, GA
To learn more about Women Leading Ed including how to become a member, contact Emily Hartnett, WLE Executive Director, at ehartnett@womenleadinged.org.
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More about Women Leading Ed
Women Leading Ed (WLE) is the largest national bipartisan nonprofit network of women in education leadership. WLE is committed to supporting and advancing women in education leadership through research, advocacy, and engagement with women at every stage of their leadership journeys. Women Leading Ed is taking on the big challenges facing the field and building a dynamic network within which leaders collaborate. Women Leading Ed is committed to identifying, developing and sustaining the next generation of leadership and shaping the public dialogue about education leadership more broadly using research and storytelling.