About this episode
If you were to close your eyes and imagine an educational leader 100% committed to serving students, educators, and her community. . . . this leader also possesses a peaceful passion for student success amidst even the most challenging times in education . . . You may not have known it, but you are thinking of Diane Starkovich. Her leadership story is pretty awesome, but hearing her talk with Jeff about leadership and love for her work is inspirational.
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After 43 years in the education field, Dr. Diane Starkovich, Ph.D. retired in July 2020 following 14 years of service as the superintendent of schools for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. In October of 2022, she received a call from the Archbishop of Atlanta asking her to return to the Office of Catholic Schools once again as the superintendent of schools. Dr. Starkovich serves as the archbishop’s representative for Catholic Education and is his chief spokesperson for Catholic Education. There are currently 23 Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta serving 10,600 students.
Dr. Starkovich previously served as an associate superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Fort Worth and also has 15 years of experience as a principal in Catholic schools in Texas and Colorado as well as eight years of teaching experience in Minnesota schools. Dr. Starkovich holds a Ph.D. in Catholic Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from The Catholic University of America, a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Texas Christian University, and a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Starkovich’s dissertation is entitled, “Perceptions of Continuous Improvement Efforts in Texas Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools.” She has served as an educational consultant for Catholic schools, particularly in the area of accreditation and school viability. Throughout her career, Dr. Starkovich has served on multiple AdvancED/Cognia Engagement Review Teams and as a lead evaluator for a diocesan system of schools.
Dr. Starkovich has authored several articles for the National Catholic Educational Association’s Momentum Magazine and has presented on school viability during national conferences of diocesan education leaders and fiscal management presentations for diocesan finance teams.