Dr. Marcelo Cavazos has over three decades of experience, including 11 years as a superintendent where he transformed Arlington Independent School District, TX,  into a model of academic excellence. As a part of the foundational and transformative work in the district, Dr. Cavazos leveraged the Nine Principles® for Organizational Excellence and Evidence-Based Leadership® practices in formal partnership with Studer Education.

Dr. Cavazos led the district in successfully implementing three strategic plans and two bond measures totaling $1.6 billion. This helped fund free pre-K for all 4-year-olds in Arlington, construct two new schools, renovate four older campuses, and establish cutting-edge programs in the arts and in career and technical education like “Full STEM Ahead!”. His exceptional leadership was recognized in 2016 when he was honored as Texas Superintendent of the Year.

In 2023, he retired and became the Holdsworth Center’s first full-time Executive Superintendent-in-Residence. Continuing onward, Dr. Cavazos is committed to contributing to and supporting the success and development of current and future skilled and visionary superintendents and executive education leaders.

Keynote Presentation:
Hardwiring Excellence in Education: Developing Leaders, People, and Systems to Achieve Results

The superintendency and education leadership have never been easy, and as leaders – many of us are facing unprecedented challenges. While much has changed, some of the most important attributes that define us as leaders and as educators have not. The sense of passion, purpose, and desire to do worthwhile work that makes a difference in the lives of others continues to drive us forward.

Sharing insight from his more than 33 years of service in public education, including 11 years as superintendent, Dr. Marcello Cavazos will provide practical strategies and best practices aligned to the Nine Principles® Framework for Organizational Excellence. Join us as we explore the following topics and more:

• Aligning our strategic focus to the measures that matter most to achieve equitable outcomes.
• Developing high-performing leadership teams to achieve results.
• Building leadership capacity and a bench of next-generation leaders.
• Creating and hardwiring a culture of service to become a district of choice.
• Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers and staff that reflect our community and values