STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Dr. Lindsey Hall
Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat
When Dr. Lindsey Hall attended superintendent meetings during the 2010s, the ratio of men to women was about 15-to-1. Yet, inside the schools she led in the Morton and Mahoment-Seymour school districts, the demographics were reversed. About 70-80% of teachers and staff members were women.
“As a female superintendent, you can feel alone. School boards, leadership spaces; they’re often dominated by men. I served alongside a lot of excellent male leaders, but our experiences were significantly different,” said Hall, who is now the coordinator of P-12 programs for Illinois State’s Department of Educational Administration and Foundations (EAF).
Unfortunately, some of those experiences were negative. Hall said she and her colleagues experience sexist attitudes, lower pay, and fewer pathways to professional growth, simply because they are women.
Determined to create a new outlet for these leaders, Hall established a virtual network of support called Allyship, Connection, and Engagement (ACE). All practicing superintendents who are women are encouraged to join in the meetings.
“I feel as though ACE is a needed, overdue space where women can ask questions, find helpful strategies, and talk through problems on a regular and convenient basis,” Hall said.
She launched the inaugural session in January 2024, and six are planned for the calendar year. District leaders from rural downstate areas to the northwest corner of the state have hopped on the virtual meet ups. Attendance has ranged from 20-to-30 participants, or about 10-15% of the state’s female superintendent population.
“The conversations have been organic and really germane to what’s happening on the ground in real time,” said Peoria Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, Ed.D. ’06. “We talk about governance, budgeting, innovation, achievement, and the way we are being treated differently as women leaders.”
Hall found that men and women in the superintendent’s job connect in different ways.
“I’ve spent time in superintendent meetings where after the actual meeting, there is the ‘meeting after the meeting,’” she said.
“Sometimes it’s a lunch, sometimes it’s a round of golf. Golf is an incredible networking tool, but it doesn’t necessarily work for women for a variety of reasons—and you aren’t always included when there are only two or three women in a room of 40 superintendents.”
Many of those situations simply don’t work for women. Hall believes ACE is a network born out of need, and she is hopeful it will be received that way.
Leading from DeGarmo
Hall is an instructor, advisor, recruiter, and mentor for EAF students. But the largest challenges women face as top administrators occur after they leave Illinois State. While their former cohorts offer valuable support, alumnae often turn to Hall for advice.
“Lindsey is a great person to be leading this effort. She’s successful, practical, knowledgeable, and she has a great sense of humor. On top of that, she’s just very open, and she’s a good person who cares about the future of the profession,” said Desmoulin-Kherat.
Hall is already considering the next phases of ACE. She hopes to create a groundswell of support for women, particularly women from underrepresented groups, to enter leadership roles. From an ACE conference to mentorship efforts, she’s excited to empower these educators across all stages of their careers.
“When I was a new high school teacher, a woman in leadership encouraged me to become a principal, and later, another told me I should consider being a superintendent. In this profession, recognizing, encouraging, and mentoring a colleague is everything,” said Hall.