The finalists include Mohammed Choudhury, an accomplished strategy and systems leader and former State Superintendent of Schools at the Maryland State Department of Education; Dr. Joe Gothard, the current superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, who is a Madison native and former administrator; and Dr. Yvonne Stokes, a student-centered, results-driven career educator, who most recently served as superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools, one of the largest school districts in Indiana with nearly 22,000 students.
“We are extremely pleased with the pool of candidates for this position. They each reflect the diverse needs of our community and the competencies that we agreed upon in November,” said Nichelle Nichols, MMSD Board of Education president, in a press release. “Our three finalists have exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited for the community to meet them next week.”
There was significant interest in the position, MMSD said, with nearly 60 applications received.
The School Board will interview the finalists on Feb. 6 and 7. The interview panels will include teachers and licensed staff, school and district leaders, parents and caregivers, students, central office and classified staff, and community members.
Following completion of the finalist interviews, the School Board will review interview notes and feedback provided by the community and interview panels before selecting the candidate it intends to appoint as the next superintendent of MMSD.
The bios of the three superintendent finalists, as provided by MMSD, are as follows:
Mohammed Choudhury, an accomplished strategy and systems leader, and former State Superintendent of Schools at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), has played a significant role in reshaping education at both state and district levels. His unwavering dedication has been instrumental in addressing historical disparities in educational opportunities.
He previously served as the Chief Strategy, Talent, and Innovation Officer for the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD), where he played a pivotal role in the transformation of SAISD. In the Dallas Independent School District, Mr. Choudhury co-founded the Office of Transformation and Innovation where he led initiatives that laid the foundation for community-driven school design anchored in best practices and deeper learning. To date, this effort has resulted in the creation of over 70 school models designed to meet the needs of the community. Mr. Choudhury began his career as an English as a Second Language (ESL) and Social Studies teacher in Los Angeles.
Mr. Choudhury was raised in Los Angeles and earned a Master of Education in Urban Schooling from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Chicano/a Studies from California State University, Northridge.
Dr. Joe Gothard currently serves as the superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) which serves approximately 33,000 PreK-12 students and employs over 6,000 staff. SPPS is the second-largest and most diverse school district in Minnesota, with students who speak more than 100 languages and 70% of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Dr. Gothard was named the 2024 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year and is one of four finalists for the AASA National Superintendent of the Year. A life-long educator, he began his career as a teacher, coach and principal in Madison before taking on opportunities to lead in Minnesota.
A native of Madison and graduate of MMSD schools, Dr. Gothard received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, and sits on the college’s Board of Trustees.
Dr. Yvonne Stokes, a student-centered, results-driven career educator, most recently served as superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools, one of the largest school districts in Indiana with nearly 22,000 students.
Before becoming a superintendent, Dr. Stokes held several leadership positions in rural, suburban, and urban districts in Indiana including teacher, principal, special education services coordinator, academic improvement officer, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Stokes brings deep experience in the classroom where she began her career in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. Stokes earned both her undergraduate degree and her doctorate in educational leadership from Purdue University. She also holds a master’s degree in special education from the University of Saint Francis and a licensure in exceptional needs at Purdue University Calumet.
