Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr., is the former superintendent of NOLA Public Schools in New Orleans. During Dr. Lewis’ seven years leading the district, NOLA implemented a number of important reforms and entered into a new unified era: For the first time since Hurricane Katrina, all schools, which had been overseen by the State of Louisiana, became governed by the locally elected school board.

Prior to joining NOLA Public Schools, Dr. Lewis was a celebrated superintendent in Louisiana’s East Feliciana Parish, north of Baton Rouge. Through his four-year strategic plan, Lewis raised the bar for classroom teaching and evaluation and helped drive significant gains among low-income students. As a result, East Feliciana Public Schools was recognized by the state for elementary student academic growth.

Dr. Lewis previously served in a variety of roles for the Algiers Charter Schools Association, the first charter management organization to open after Hurricane Katrina. He was director of academics and instructional technology, assistant principal of Alice Harte Elementary, and founding principal of Algiers Technology Academy. Dr. Lewis’ 20-year career in education also includes his time as a teacher in St. Bernard Parish Public Schools. In addition, he represented District 9 on the St. Bernard Parish Public School Board for 11 years. Dr. Lewis received his doctorate and master’s degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration, from Mississippi State University and University of New Orleans, respectively. He earned his bachelor’s in Secondary Mathematics Education from Southern University at New Orleans.