Associate Professor of Educational Administration, The University of Georgia
Nominee: James Verrilli
April L. Peters-Hawkins is an associate professor of educational administration at the University of Georgia. She earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in educational policy and leadership from The Ohio State University, an M.S.W. from Columbia University in New York, and a B.S. Ed. from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. She has worked in the K-12 context as a middle school teacher, a school social worker, dean of students, and a high school principal. Dr. Peters-Hawkins served four years as a consultant in the Atlanta Public Schools, providing professional learning and support to small school reform leaders.
Dr. Peters-Hawkins is passionate about equity and social justice for the most vulnerable populations of students. Her research interests include: (a) women in school leadership; (b) mentoring and support for early career administrators; (c) urban schooling; and (d) leadership and small school reform. She has published in several top tier academic journals.
In 2010, Dr. Peters-Hawkins earned the Outstanding Teaching Award in the College of Education. Further, Dr. Peters-Hawkins has leadership roles in several professional organizations. She serves as president-elect of the University Council for Educational Administration, and as the 2016 division A (administration) program chair for the American Educational Research Association.
