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Gene T. Harris

Superintendent, Columbus Public Schools

Gene T. Harris, Ph.D., is the19th superintendent of the Columbus Public Schools (CPS) - a role she has served in since 2001. She promised to move the district from the state-designated category of academic emergency to academic watch by summer 2003, accomplishing this goal in spite of changing state requirements. Columbus Public Schools is the second-largest Ohio district, serving 59,000 urban students.

A 1971 graduate of Linden-McKinley High School, Dr. Harris earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, a master's degree from The Ohio State University, and a doctorate from Ohio University. She started her career as a teacher in CPS and moved to principal, supervisor of principals, and deputy superintendent.

Dr. Harris twice received the Ingram Award for outstanding leadership as a principal. In 1991, the YWCA honored her as a Woman of Achievement. Dr. Harris received the Martin Luther King, Jr., Dreamer Award in 2004, the Champion of Children, the Children's Hunger Alliance 2005 Educator of the Year, and the Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs Stellar Performer awards in 2005.

Dr. Harris serves on the Board of Trustees of Ohio University, the Board of the United Way of Central Ohio, and the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Board. Currently a Sunday School teacher and Trustee at the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, she is married to Stanley E. Harris, Vice President of National City Bank. Their adult son lives in New Jersey.

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