NRHEG Superintendent completes MASA Leadership Academy

NRHEG Superintendent Michael Meihak recently completed the first-ever Advanced Leadership Academy offered by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA). The academy brought together a cohort of superintendents from across Minnesota for an intensive 16-month professional learning experience focused on the evolving demands of educational leadership.

 

The program included eight in-person sessions (two days each) and eight virtual sessions (one day each). In-person meetings featured presentations from nationally recognized experts both within and outside the field of education, providing participants with a broad perspective on leadership, systems thinking, and organizational change.

 

The academy’s coursework emphasized personal and professional growth, resilient leadership, personal and organizational branding, nimble leadership in a changing world, accountability and community trust, effective communication, and neuroscience-informed leadership. The program concluded by helping participants integrate these themes into a cohesive leadership framework grounded in systems and ecosystem thinking.

 

While the in-person and virtual components of the academy are now complete, participants also have the opportunity to attend a three-day Milliken Transformative Leadership seminar in Spartanburg, South Carolina, scheduled for March 3–5.

 

“This experience challenged me to think differently about leadership, communication, and trust-building in public education,” Meihak said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside colleagues from across the state and bring these insights back to serve the NRHEG community.”