Dr. Danielle Brewer has officially transitioned from interim to permanent superintendent of Marion County Public Schools after a unanimous vote by the school board to approve a two-year contract last week.
Brewer becomes the second appointed and fourth female leader in the district’s 157-year history. Brewer, who has served as the interim lead since April 2025, stepped into the role permanently as the district celebrated her “Day One” by connecting with staff and students.
Brewer is a long-term veteran of the Marion County school system, having started her career as a classroom teacher on August 1, 2005.
Over the past two decades, she progressed through several leadership tiers, serving as an assistant principal and a principal, including most recently at North Marion High School. In 2021, she was named director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Digital Learning, and two years later she became senior executive director of High Schools and Secondary Curriculum.
Brewer’s academic credentials include degrees in Criminal Justice and Educational Leadership from Saint Leo University, as well as an Education Specialist degree and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from National Louis University.
The selection process originally began last year after Dr. Diane Gullett announced her resignation to join the Bailey Education Group.
Brewer emerged as the top candidate from a pool of approximately seven applicants, which included internal leaders like Area Superintendent Melissa A. Kinard and external professionals such as Donna Cress, a vice president at Signature Brands. Other candidates included retired Deputy Superintendent Dr. Robert Craig Ham and several doctors with education backgrounds, specifically Dr. Wayne Rodolfich, Dr. Timothy A. Smith, and Dr. Anthony Hamlet.
Board members reached a consensus on Brewer after she earned the highest scores during individual interviews conducted by each member.
The path to Brewer’s permanent appointment involved significant public discourse, with several colleagues and community members voicing strong support for her during public meetings.
Ben Whitehouse, the district’s Area Director for Secondary Schools, praised her genuine love and concern for students and staff, while retired Air Force Colonel Keith Cunningham described her as the most effective leader he had encountered in education. Teacher Victoria Barkley also highlighted Brewer’s open-door policy and her ability to make staff feel heard.