Dr. Susan Enfield has seen not just the challenges of being a woman in education leadership, but ... [+]
“Gender bias is alive and well. You have to know it, combat it when you can, and not let it get you down.”
Dr. Susan Enfield, Superintendent of Washoe County Schools, Nevada’s second largest school district, is clear-eyed about the state of gender equity in education leadership.
Her own leadership journey reflects the specific and broadly shared experiences of so many women as they move up in their careers along with the unique dynamics that women in education leadership especially know. One of those unique features was the role of other women who supported her.
“I was fortunate to know women who were committed to enlightening, educating and empowering other women coming into leadership,” Enfield explained. “It’s so vital for them to know their worth, to launch them in those leadership roles, so that they’re successful long term.”
As my last piece noted, the teaching profession is dominated by women–some 8 in 10 public school teachers are female. However, as you progress up the leadership ladder in education, positions become more male-dominated. Superintendents are overwhelmingly male: better than 7 in 10 of the top jobs in school districts are held by men nationally. It’s a reality that has been the focus of serious study and attention in the education research and policy community, but has been frustratingly persistent despite those efforts.
Having led two large districts and held several other high-level leadership positions at both the state and district level, Dr. Enfield has seen the dynamics of gender play out from multiple vantage points. Whether it was her decade as superintendent of Highline Public Schools outside of Seattle prior to moving to Washoe, or in positions of state leadership, Enfield has seen not just the challenges of being a woman in education leadership, but also the strength, resilience, and creativity that flows from the powerful relationships, mentorships, and sponsorships she has made with other women in the field.
Born and raised in California’s Bay Area, Enfield says she knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was a young girl–teaching her dolls as a 7-year old. After getting her BA from UC Berkeley and a stint in the publishing industry, Enfield says she heard the calling again to get into the classroom.
After getting her BA from UC Berkeley and a stint in the publishing industry, Enfield says she heard ... [+]
A 12-month master’s degree and teaching credential from Stanford University was followed by student teaching and then her first full-time position, teaching high school English in Cupertino, CA. A role in school improvement coaching led to her applying to the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s urban superintendents program.
Harvard is where her path crossed with mine for the first time as I served as a guest lecturer during my superintendency of Lancaster, PA schools. She would later intern with me in Lancaster and then led my teaching and learning office when I served as secretary of education in the state.
Through all of those early experiences, she said, were a series of more seasoned female educators who supported her during difficult times and celebrated her successes.
“It was very clear that as a woman I would be treated differently,” she explained. “I was lucky to have strong female mentors that were very, very honest about facing the hard facts.”
Which is why she proudly and publicly uses her position now to advance the careers of other talented women in education leadership.
“When I see a woman in the principalship or entry level central office role, I ask them what their leadership aspirations are and I ask them what I can do to help,” she said.
“What’s important is that it’s not just “feel good” mentoring, but momentum mentoring. Not just talking, but actually getting them in the jobs, making sure they do presentations at convenings and public events, supporting them in networking, and highlighting the work that they do. We need to help women see within themselves that which they themselves don’t yet see. That’s what my mentors did.”
“That’s now my responsibility,” she continued. “I take that very, very seriously.”
She says it’s important for aspiring female leaders to be intentional about their professional journeys–to choose their professional homes wisely.
“You are going to spend a lot of time in that job, in that community,” she explained. “I see a lot of superintendents who just want that job and title and flame out. There is a crisis in the superintendency right now that transcends gender. People are leaving the field entirely. We need to focus on women as we address the broader crisis.”
Enfield says that by focusing on attracting and retaining more women in education leadership positions, school systems will ultimately benefit.
“Women lead differently,” she observed. “They bring a different way of being. We need different leadership styles if we want schools to be more successful in the future.”
“We need more honest conversations about the difference in experience that gender, race and identity produce,” she concluded. “The time to have strong, courageous, compassionate women in the superintendency is now–it’s needed today more than ever.”
Dr. Enfield’s journey and those of thousands of other women in education leadership demonstrate that to get there, women must materially support other women as they ascend their leadership trajectories.
That means taking action. That means putting some real momentum behind mentoring, sponsorship, and support so that their leadership can persist.
