Meet the Superintendent Finalists

Drew Adams, Ed.D., is a seasoned Colorado educator and executive leader with nearly thirty years of service in public and international education. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Human Resources for the Adams 14 School District, a position he has held since July 2021. In this executive role, Dr. Adams oversees the recruitment and support of all PK-12 employees. He has distinguished himself as a "leader of leaders," serving as an Executive Coach for Principals and providing essential onsite support and guidance to building leaders across the district.

He began his career in the classroom, teaching social studies, geography, and humanities across the St. Vrain, Brighton 27J, and Boulder Valley school districts. His administrative foundation was further built as an Assistant Principal at Monarch High School and Casey Middle School, where he served as the administrative liaison for a $33 million new school construction project.

Dr. Adams’ leadership is defined by a commitment to the "whole child" and a belief that academic excellence is rooted in strong, authentic relationships. During his five-year tenure as Principal of Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, he was known for knowing every student by "name and face". He successfully secured over $100,000 in grant funding to support a mental health clinician and established a schoolbased health clinic to support student wellness. In his current district leadership role, he furthered this commitment to systemic support by obtaining a $160,000 grant to launch a comprehensive onboarding and induction program for new district hires.

His professional journey is marked by a unique global perspective and high degree of adaptability. He served as the Head of Secondary at Colegio Colombo Britanico in Cali, Colombia, where he led an international community through the lens of the International Baccalaureate philosophy. An advanced Spanish speaker with a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction focused on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, Dr. Adams excels at bridging cultural gaps and ensuring that diverse families are active, empowered partners in the educational process.

Dr. Adams earned his Doctorate in Executive Leadership, his Master’s degree, and his Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Latin American Studies all from the University of Colorado system. He is an active member of CASE/CASPA and served on the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee. He is an avid traveler and is married to a middle school librarian. They are the proud parents of two children currently attending the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Adams remains a visionary and reflective leader dedicated to the mission of student success.

Kristin currently serves as Executive Director of Schools in Douglas County School District, where she provides oversight for 16,000 PK–12 students across nineteen schools in the Parker region. In this role, she has led the implementation of systems that drive strong student achievement, sustained academic growth, and support for students’ social and emotional well-being.

With 34 years of experience in public education, Kristin has served as a teacher, instructional coach, district professional development coordinator, high school administrator, and elementary principal where she led her school to receive the Governor’s Distinguished Growth award. This breadth of experience informs her leadership and provides a comprehensive understanding of teaching and learning at every level. She is a dedicated and respected leader whose long standing service in Douglas County reflects her commitment to students, staff, and community. Her work is grounded in mentoring leaders for shared decision-making, leadership development, visibility, and a strong focus on instructional leadership.

Kristin has a proven track record of closing achievement gaps, supporting one of the highest staff retention rates in the Denver metro area, and leading the implementation of effective Professional Learning Communities. She has expanded accelerated and differentiated learning opportunities for students and strengthened Career and Technical Education pathways. She is committed to inspiring students to be confident, resilient, and act with integrity—always prepared for the powder day.

A Colorado native, Kristin has deep roots in both the Front Range and the Western Slope, making the Steamboat community feel like a home.  Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, skiing, and being outdoors.

Dr. Scott Springston is a servant leader with 33 years of experience dedicated to public education. A Colorado native and the son of an educator, his work is grounded in grace, understanding, and the belief that strong human relationships are the foundation of a thriving organization. Outside of work, Scott values family—he has been married for 33 years and raised two adult children—and enjoys spending time training his dog, fly fishing or exploring the outdoors. Whether navigating complex budgets or engaging with the community, he leads with integrity, transparency, approachability, and an unwavering students-first mindset.

With more than two decades of executive leadership experience, including nine years as a Superintendent, Dr. Springston specializes in driving systemic, second-order change. He currently serves as Deputy Superintendent of Dodge City Public Schools (Kansas), overseeing curriculum, instruction, and assessment for 7,500 diverse learners. His leadership has guided major improvements in strategic planning, professional development, assessment systems, English Learner programming, and data-driven MTSS structures designed to improve outcomes for all students.

Dr. Springston is known for achieving high levels of organizational performance. As Superintendent of an 11,000-student district in the Kansas City metropolitan area, he led the district to become the only one in Missouri at the time to receive the Missouri Quality Award—an achievement rooted in a culture of continuous improvement and transparency.

A strong bridge-builder between schools and communities, he has demonstrated success in governance and fiscal stewardship. Notably, as Superintendent of a suburban Wichita, Kansas school district of 3,500 students, he led the passage of the largest voter-approved capital bond in district history. His experience also includes serving as the founding Executive Director of Grand County Higher Education in Grand County, Colorado, where he partnered with grantors, businesses, post-secondary institutions and school districts to develop workforce training pathways and expanded career exploration opportunities for high school students.

Dr. Springston earned his Doctorate in Education from the University of Kansas. From his early career as a secondary science teacher in Hays, Kansas, to his current executive leadership role, he remains committed to recruiting and retaining strong staff, fostering trust, and ensuring every decision reflects what is best for students, staff, and the community.

Dr. John O. Stover III (Shawn)  is an innovative, results-driven educational leader with over 30 years of experience in public education. Currently serving as the Superintendent of Rockingham County Schools in North Carolina, Dr. Stover has a proven track record of driving systemic reform and increasing student achievement. Under his leadership, the district has seen significant academic gains, including doubling the ACT pass rate from 22% to 44% and dramatically increasing student credential attainment to over 80%. He is also recognized for his fiscal stewardship, having secured $42 million in state grants for new facilities and the first local funding increase for his current district in over a decade.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Stover held high-impact leadership positions in some of the nation’s most prominent educational environments. As a Chief and Instructional Superintendent for District of Columbia Public Schools, he led instructional transformations that resulted in the district's largest annual increases in reading and math proficiency. He also served as Superintendent for Uplift Education in Dallas, where he oversaw a network of 10 schools and led North Hills Preparatory to be ranked the #2 most rigorous public high school in the nation by The Washington Post.

Dr. Stover’s career began in the classroom, where he was recognized as the Hertford County Schools Teacher of the Year, and progressed through building-level leadership as a principal in North Carolina. He also served in a national capacity as Senior Managing Director for Teach For America, where he designed teacher support programs and launched new regional sites across the country.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Stover holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Organizational Innovation from Marymount University, a Master of Science in School Administration from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is a recipient of several prestigious honors, including the 2025 Teach For America Alumni Impact Award and the 2024 Catalyst Award from The Innovation Project.