Dr. Aleesia Johnson has been an educator for 20 years. She was named superintendent for Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) in June 2019 and is the first African-American woman to serve in this capacity. In this role, Aleesia oversees the strategic direction and operations of the district in achieving its mission to empower and educate all students to think critically, creatively and responsibly, to embrace diversity, and to pursue their dreams with purpose. Over the course of her career, Aleesia has served in a number of roles, including innovation officer and deputy superintendent for academics in IPS as well as middle school teacher, teacher development coach, assistant school leader, and school leader. Aleesia graduated from Agnes Scott College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and African-American studies. She also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Oakland City University, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Oakland City University. She and her husband are the proud parents of four children.