William Heiser, who began his term as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) on July 1, 2026, announced the members of his transition team.
The 36-member team includes business and community partners; current and retired BCPS educators, staff, and administrators; representatives of Baltimore-area colleges and universities; and employee association leaders.
The transition team members bring wide-ranging experience across K-12 and higher education and public and private sectors.
“I am grateful to the staff, leaders, and partners serving on this transition team for their willingness to generously share their time, resources, and expertise in service to Team BCPS,” said Dr. Heiser.
“Their work will be vital as we chart the path forward for our school system and identify the key strategies and resources needed to advance excellence together. These individuals all share a deep commitment to public education and boosting student achievement, and I look forward to listening, learning, and
engaging in critical conversations about the strengths of our system and the urgent work ahead.
The transition team will be co-chaired by:
• Dr. Rotunda Floyd-Cooper, vice president, Education Leadership, Wallace Foundation
• Dr. Elizabeth Berquist, executive director, Employee Development, BCPS
The transition team will meet from August 20 through October 30 and will assist Dr. Heiser in assessing the school system’s current state of academics, operations, and culture/climate. The team is charged with developing short-term and long-term recommendations related to academic excellence, operational readiness and financial sustainability, talent identification, and community engagement.
The transition team will produce a report on their findings and strategic recommendations, and this report will be shared with the Team BCPS community in November.
Transition team members include:
• Elizabeth Becker, director, Facilities Operations and Logistics, BCPS
• Allison Benkovic, 2026-2027 BCPS Teacher of the Year and teacher, Chadwick Elementary School
• Joelle Bielski, director, Staff Relations, BCPS • Cris Blasetti, president, Baltimore County Public Schools Organization of Professional Employees
• Dr. Gail Cunningham, former chief medical officer, University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
• Marietta English, chair, Education Committee, NAACP Baltimore County
• Bryan Epps, president, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local
434, BCPS
• Dr. Nancy Grasmick, Towson University Presidential Scholar and former Maryland State
Superintendent of Schools
• Dr. Douglas Handy, director, Workforce Development and Culture, BCPS
• Elisabeth Jarrett, BCPS parent and chair, Advocacy and Legislation, PTA Council of Baltimore County
• Michael Jones, principal, Randallstown High School, BCPS
• Jim Jones, president, American Design Associates
• Melanie Kearns, principal, General John Stricker Middle School, BCPS
• Eric Knox, executive director, School Safety and Security, BCPS
• Dr. Matthew Lang, interim vice president, Enrollment and Outreach Initiatives, Community
College of Baltimore County
• Sean McComb, principal, Lutherville Laboratory Elementary School, BCPS
• Samuel Mustipher, executive director, School Support and Improvement, BCPS
• Allison Myers, executive director, Special Education, BCPS
• Kelly Ngyuen, director, Budget and Reporting, BCPS
• Kelly Olds, president, Teachers Association of Baltimore County, BCPS
• Gboyinde Onijala, executive director, Communications and Community Outreach, BCPS
• Michael Parker, director, Council of Administrative and Supervisory Employees, BCPS
• Sandra Reid, retired administrator and principal consultant, BCPS
• Larry Rowland, manager, Enterprise Resource Planning, BCPS
• Ella Sohn, president, Baltimore County Student Council and BCPS student, Eastern Technical High School
• Dr. John Staley, executive director, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, BCPS
• Susan Stansbury, director, Staffing, BCPS
• TBD, chief of staff, BCPS
• Shawrn Watson, 2025-2026 BCPS School Counselor of the Year and counselor, Dundalk Middle School
• Dominique Watts, 2026-2027 BCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year and special education
teacher, Sparrows Point Middle School
• James Wheeler, president, First Financial Federal Credit Union
• Alicia Wilson, vice president, Civic Engagement and Opportunity, Johns Hopkins University
• Dr. Heather Wooldridge, director, Education Foundation and Grants, BCPS
• Jeanette Young, president, Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County, BCPS