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Administration

Daveda J. Colbert, Ph.D., Superintendent

Headshot of Daveda Colbert

Dr. Daveda J. Colbert celebrates more than 30 years of proven results in leadership, business, and education. She serves as a high energy executive and life-long educator as the Superintendent of Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency (Wayne RESA), located in Wayne, Michigan.
 
Wayne RESA provides a broad range of services and support to Wayne County’s 33 school districts and 100 public school academies aimed at improving student achievement and maximizing economies of scale in staff development, purchasing, and administrative services. Wayne RESA serves as the largest of the 56 Intermediate School Districts throughout the State of Michigan, servicing more than 260,000 students. 

Before taking the helm as Superintendent, July 1, 2021, Dr. Colbert served as Wayne RESA’s Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for two years, leveraging existing resources to meet the current and future needs of both internal and external stakeholders. She was and continues to be deliberate in her efforts to transform the agencies vision of “Leading…Learning for All” by challenging, encouraging, and engaging thinking about what it means to be an organization that values diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity.  Her leadership continues to be influential, innovative, and impactful as Michigan continues to recover from the pandemic. 

Prior to joining Wayne RESA, Dr. Colbert served as a teacher, coach, mentor, sponsor, athletic director, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent at the local level in school districts throughout Southeastern Michigan. Prior to her commitment to public education, she served as an accountant. 

Currently, Dr. Colbert holds leadership positions while serving on many boards, commissions, and committees locally, statewide, and nationally. Most notably, she was appointed by the Governor of the State of Michigan to the School Safety and Mental Health Commission, where she serves as the chair. She serves as the co-chair of the, one of its’ kind, Michigan School Infrastructure Study, as well as, a leader on the Governing Board of the Statewide Talent Together Initiative and the Statewide Student Voice/Student Perception Initiative.  She represents superintendents across the state as one of the Legislative Governing Board Members of the American Association of School Administrators and serves as a representative for superintendents around the country as President-Elect for the Urban Superintendents Association of America.  Dr. Colbert serves as a role-model and mentor for many of her colleagues and peers, as well as, Pre-K – 12, undergraduate and graduate students, and is recognized across the country for her authentic, courageous, and visionary leadership, passion, and commitment as a champion for children and a positive promoter of public education.  She has been called to testify by legislators in support of public education numerous times.  Dr. Colbert is an unapologetic advocate for access, opportunity, equity and excellence in education.

Dr. Colbert’s academic achievements include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Southern University at New Orleans (1992) in New Orleans, Louisiana; a Master of Arts in Teaching (1995) and Education Specialist in Administration and Supervision (1998) from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (2009) from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
 

Cabinet

Dr. Daveda Colbert

Wayne RESA Superintendent

Beth Gonzalez

Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services

Kelly Bohl

Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services and FOIA Coordinator

Kurt Rheaume

Senior Executive Director - IT Solutions

Michael Latvis

Senior Executive Director - Legislative Affairs

Rob McCoy

Senior Executive Director of Operations and IT Infrastructure

Dana Chicklas

Senior Executive Director of Communications, Public Relations, and Marketing

Tiesha Hakim

Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Education

Drew McMechan

Assistant Superintendent Financial Services

Dr. Jennifer Taiariol

Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and Early Intervention Services