AAESA Executive Board Approves Hope Zeanah as New Assistant Executive Director
Montgomery, Alabama – October 18, 2024 – The Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators (AAESA) Executive Board met this morning to approve the recommendation for the new Assistant Executive Director. The board unanimously approved Hope Zeanah to replace Rickey Darby as the Assistant Executive Director when he retires at the end of the year.
Hope Zeanah brings forty-three years of experience in education, including sixteen years as an elementary principal. She previously served on the AAESA Executive Board. Zeanah retired from Baldwin County Schools in 2023, having last served as Assistant Superintendent.
Throughout her career, Zeanah has presented at various local, state, and national events. Some of her notable presentations include the National Reading Council, the National Middle School Conference, and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. She has also contributed to the Leader in Me Symposium, the Alabama State Department of Education State Improvement Grant/Beginning Reading Model, the Mega Conference, the AAESA Fall Instructional Leadership Conference, and the Aspiring Leaders Program in Baldwin County.
In recognition of her significant contributions to education, Zeanah has been honored with several awards. She was named Alabama National Distinguished Principal and received the Truman Pierce Leadership Award. Additionally, she was recognized as Educator of the Year by the Optimist Club of Elberta, Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Perdido Bay Optimist Club, and Administrator of the Year by the Baldwin County Reading Council.
Words cannot express how excited and honored I am to be named the new Assistant Director for AAESA. I look forward to working with Ricky Darby over the next few months and plan to soak up all the invaluable knowledge Ricky has to offer. Heartfelt thanks for this amazing opportunity.
We are deeply grateful to Rickey Darby for his invaluable leadership and unwavering dedication as AAESA’s Assistant Executive Director. His commitment to supporting Alabama’s school leaders has made a lasting impact, and we will always appreciate the wisdom and guidance he has provided over the years. As we look to the future, I am excited to welcome Hope Zeanah to the role. Her remarkable experience and passion for education will no doubt continue to advance AAESA’s mission, and I look forward to working with her to support our school administrators and the students they serve.
About AAESA: The Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators is an affiliate association of the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS). AAESA’s mission is to serve as an advocate for children while striving to enhance effectiveness in the supervision and administration of elementary and middle schools.
