Vincent F. Cotter

With over 40 years in the field of education, Dr. Vincent F. Cotter served as a teacher, department chair, and principal in both urban and urban-suburban school environments. As superintendent of schools for eleven consecutive years, he was the primary architect and innovator of a unique program, Reaching Above and Beyond, which dramatically improved student achievement and received national recognition. For his efforts, Dr. Cotter was awarded the prestigious American Society for Quality's international Juran Medal (2010) in the field of education, for sustained systemic improvement.

Dr. Cotter has also written graduate level courses for aspiring principals and superintendents at the college and university level, taught at the graduate level, provided consultative services to school districts, and cofounded the Exemplary Schools Organization (website: ExemplarySchoolsOrg) which provides leadership services, leadership team development, performance auditing and implementation support to school administrators, board members, supervisors and aspiring leaders.

Dr. Cotter firmly believes that through stakeholder commitment to Equity and Excellence, all schools have the capacity to reach higher levels of performance.