School Superintendent

SUMMARY RESUMEDr. Santiago V. Wood, Ed.D./JD (Hon)PO BOX 480194 Ft.Lauderdale,Fl 33308(954)-***-**********@*********.*** Dr. Santiago V. Wood served as the Superintendent of Schools for the Fresno Unified School District in the Central Valley of California for four years. Fresno Unified is the 4th largest school district in the State of California. The District is a large urban/agricultural school district that thrives in a multicultural and religiously diverse arena. The district serves over 85,000 K-12 students, 35,000 adult education learners, 120 schools and sites, in excess of 12,000 employees, and an annual operating budget and asset value of $2.5 Billion. Fresno Unified is a district with over 100 languages represented. Fresno Unified embraces, celebrates and welcomes its rich and exciting student body of all backgrounds and nationalities. Prior to his appointment as Superintendent of Fresno Unified, Dr. Wood served for four years as Superintendent for the Alum Rock School District (largest K-8 in Northern California) in San Jose. Dr. Wood also provided leadership for over eight years as the Acting Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Associate Superintendent and Director of Government Relations and Fund Development for the West Contra Costa Unified School District in Richmond (California’s 12 largest). Dr. Wood has also served as Vice President and President for Vista Community College in Berkeley for over eleven years with strong affiliation to the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). Dr. Wood is a thirty-five year veteran public school educator and was one of only approximately 30 superintendents of color in the state of California with over 1,050 school districts and county offices of education serving over 6 million students. Dr. Wood’s professional services extended well beyond public school administration and leadership. Prior to serving in the K-12 arena (16-years), Dr. Wood distinguished himself for over 16 years as a high and adult school teacher; Naval Seas Cadet instructor; college and university Instructor; Dean of instruction and President of several Colleges and Universities in the San Francisco Bay Area and Fresno. Dr. Wood also served as an Immigration and Quarantine Specialist in the Panama Canal. His experience also spans the banking and financial management field where he served as a Banking and Financial Management Intern. Dr. Wood served as a key education Advisor to several State Superintendents of Public Instruction and members of the California Legislature. In addition, he also served as a representative to the California School Boards Association, Delegate to the American Association of School Administrators, Co-Chair of the Urban Council of Superintendents of the National Science Foundation, membership in the Council of Great City School, the Large City Superintendent Council, the Association of California School Administrators and Chair of City of Newark Planning, Building and Development Commission. Dr. Wood earned his doctorate (Ed.D.) in education from the University of San Francisco with distinction in the fields of Organization and Leadership, Multicultural and Language Acquisition Education, and International Trade. Dr. Wood has also completed the Urban Superintendent Academy Training at Harvard University. Dr. Wood holds undergraduate (BBA)-Marketing & Economics and graduate (MBA)-Finance, International Trade, Business Management degrees. Dr. Wood also holds an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Armstrong University in Berkeley. Dr. Wood has provided leadership on numerous local, public and private sector commissions and boards, including Trustee for Armstrong University and California Baptist University, California State Math, Engineering and Science Association (MESA) Board, Co-Chair of the National Science Foundation Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Superintendent’s Committee to the College Board, Trustee for Fresno County Boys and Girls Club, Fresno County Interagency Council, Santa Clara County Junior Achievement Council, Ernesto Galarza Institute, San Jose Mayor’s Gang Task Force, and Santa Clara County Juvenile Restorative Justice Advisory Council, to name a few. In December 1999 Dr. Wood was selected by the California Congressional Delegation and President Bill Clinton to be part of a distinguished Presidential Delegation to the transfer Ceremonies of the Panama Canal. Former President Jimmy Carter, several governors, cabinet officers, ambassadors and members of Congress, joined Dr. Wood as a witness and participant on this very historic event. In 2000, Dr. Wood was joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the United States Armed Forces, Hon. Colin Powell, to accept an AVANT! $1 million dollar education scholarship for forty 2nd graders in the Alum Rock SD in San Jose. As a tribute to his visionary leadership, Dr. Wood was chosen, after extensive competition, as one of only twenty-four college and university presidents and administrators nationally, to represent the State of California as an American Council on Education Fellow (1984) which allowed him to travel and lecture extensively across the country at numerous colleges and universities in the area of cultural and educational equity and diversity, student achievement, bilingual education, facilities and technology, organization and leadership, board superintendents training and school finance and governance. Recognized by his peers, Dr. Wood received several joint legislative commendations from the California legislature for his recognition by the California State League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)-where he had the privilege of dining at the annual LULAC Convention with Ms Universe from Mexico. Dr. Wood was also awarded “Honorable Secretary Ronald Brown” Community Award of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the United Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations (UCSSO). Dr. Wood also received recognition from the Fresno County Mexican American Political Action (MAPA) Association for his Parent-Friendly Educational Leadership. He was also recognized by the cities of San Jose, Richmond, and Hercules as the Educator and Community Impact Leader of the Year for his extraordinary contributions to the academic and social achievements of children, youth, and families in the community. He was especially recognized for his innovative Parent Training and Education Programs (Parent Institute for Quality Education by the San Jose California State PTA Chapter). In his tenure in Richmond, CA., Dr. Wood served as a national facilitator for Dr. Lauro Cavazos, former United States Secretary of Education under President George Bush, on five regional summits on education where he was joined by superintendents and other educational leaders from across the nation to debate the topic of Schools of Choice and Integration. Dr. Wood is a product of a military family and a native of Panama. He is bilingual and has lived and traveled throughout Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Asia, Canada and Europe. Dr. Wood has been recognized by education officials in Mexico, Japan and Spain for his contributions to their educational system in the areas of teacher and administrator recruitment, training, development and exchange programs. Dr. Wood has also served as an Instructor/Professor at Armstrong University, University of San Francisco, Simon Frasier University, BC., California Baptist University and the Association of California Schools Administrators (ACSA) Superintendent Academy in the areas of Organization and leadership, School and Community, Governance and Leadership, Board and Superintendent Relations, School finance, Professional Administrative Leadership, Credential Programs for teachers and administrators. Dr. Wood was one of the founding administrators for new Principals and Aspiring Administrators Academy in Fresno at Fresno State University and the Association of California Schools Administrators (ACSA). In February 2007, Dr. Wood was awarded the very prestigious “Ohtli Sons of Mexico Award” by the Mexican Government for his contribution to improving the education, language, culture, bilateral and bilingual education programs for Mexican American Students, Parents, Teachers and Administrators in Mexico and California via joint international exchange programs between Mexico, Spain, Philippines and California. In addition, Dr. Wood also received a US Congressional Award and a California State Legislative Award for his “Exceptional Dedication and Commitment” to fostering Education and International Relations between Mexico and California. Dr. Wood can be reached at (******@*********.***) or on his webpage: (www.woodsyandassociates.com); Dr. Wood is a frequent presenter and keynote speaker at major state and national education conferences. He has testified frequently before the California State legislature on education matters and other special Community panels. After more than 30 years of successful teaching and learning as a public school educator, teacher, counselor and administrator, Dr. Wood made a career transition in 2004 from Superintendent of Schools for Fresno Unified School District, CA., and launched a new career as a an International Education Consultant and Licensed Realtor/Broker in the State of Florida and Panama, City, Central America. Dr. Wood has two adult professional children who are products of the public school and university systems. Dr. Wood continues to mentor kids in his congregation and community and to coach new administrators and teachers.

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