Principal Preparation District Partnership Faculty
Courses in the Principal Preparation District Partnership Programs (Ritchie and APSLA) are taught by Educational Administration full-time faculty as well as adjunct faculty members who are currently employed in the respective programs' district. The district personnel come from a wide-range of professional and academic backgrounds, and offer practical, hands-on experience in specific district practices. The district members of the instructional team and the Educational Administration faculty are rich resources ready to share their expertise as students as progress through these programs.
George Straface, director of Principal Preparation Programs and clinical assistant professor, served Colorado's public schools for 39 years, most recently as the Superintendent of Schools for Adams County School District #50, Westminster. In addition, he has served as superintendent for the Commerce City and Grand Junction schools; deputy superintendent for the Denver Public Schools; executive director for human resources and for the North Area for Cherry Creek Schools; and executive director of Personne2l for the Grand Junction Public Schools. In his career, he has served as a principal, assistant principal, director of activities, and a teacher in grades 6-12. Past service includes: president of the Colorado Association of School Personnel Administrators; president of the Colorado School Negotiators; president of the Colorado Association of Senior School Administrators; chair of the Denver Area School Superintendents; and president of the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE). He has received CASE's award for distinguished service, The Colbert Cushing Award, in 2000, and Westminster Hispanic and Hmong's community's recognition as "Bridge Builder" in 2006. Dr. Straface is certified as a Teacher, Principal, and Administrator Perceiver for the SRI/GALLUP Corporation. Research interests include educational leadership; principal preparation, and educational reform. He holds an EdD from the University of Colorado at Denver in Educational Leadership; and an MA from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Educational Administration.
Susan Korach, assistant professor, is co-creator of and facilitator for the Ritchie Program for School Leaders, an intensive cohort-based, district partnership principal preparation program. She is also a qualitative researcher and published "Pioneering Change: The Experiences of Three Colorado Charter Schools," in Charter Schools: Lessons in School Reform. Dr. Korach's research interests include the following: the preparation of school leaders, impact of leadership on learning, school reform, school/university partnerships, school governance and charter schools. She is professionally affiliated with Phi Delta Kappa and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. She holds an EdD and MA from the University of Houston and BA from Trinity University.