5 Washoe County school superintendent finalists announced; 2 come from within district

Two of the five finalists for superintendent are high-ranking Washoe County school administrators, while the other three candidates come from districts in Florida, Texas and Arkansas.

The next superintendent is expected to be named on May 14, five months after the surprise resignation of Susan Enfield.

Enfield had been on the job less than two years when she resigned in November, saying only that the move was best for her and her family.

The school board has repeatedly indicated it wants a superintendent who is committed to staying in the area.

Of the five finalists announced Monday, four are career educators, and all five have been principals. One candidate also worked for the Clark County School District for four years.

The finalists will meet with trustees and engage in interviews during a series of events from April 24-26. The public is invited to meet the finalists from 5 to 8:15 p.m. April 25 at Wooster High School.

What we know about the 5 candidates for Washoe County school superintendent

Christopher Bernier most recently was the superintendent of Lee County School District in Ft. Myers, Florida. He resigned this month after voters there changed the superintendent to an elected position instead of an appointment. Before that, he was chief of staff in the Clark County School District from 2019-22. Bernier also worked in the Orange County School District in Florida for 32 years as an associate superintendent, high school and middle school principal, dean, athletic director and history teacher.

Joseph Ernst is the chief continuous improvement officer for the Washoe County School District, where he has worked since 1996 as an area superintendent, elementary school principal, assistant principal and elementary school teacher. Before that, Ernst taught elementary school in Michigan.

Elizabeth Fagen has been the superintendent of Humble (Texas) Independent School District since 2016. She previously served as superintendent of the Douglas County School District in Colorado and Tucson Unified School District. Fagen began her career in Iowa as a high school science teacher. She has also been an administrator, high school principal and associate superintendent for the Des Moines Independent School District.

Charles McNulty has been superintendent of the Pulaski County School District in Little Rock, Arkansas, since 2018. He previously served as superintendent for the Black Hawk School District in Wisconsin and as associate superintendent in Waterloo, Iowa. McNulty’s education career also includes working as a special education teacher, principal and director of personnel. He also has taught as a college professor.

Troy Parks has been the chief academic officer of Washoe County School District since 2020. He started for the district as an elementary school teacher in 1996. Parks has served as a dean, math coordinator, principal, school performance director, area superintendent and area superintendent. Before a career in public education, Parks worked in insurance and the steel industry.