In Person and Online!
Meet our Panelists
Dr. Scott Menzel
Superintendent, Scottsdale Unified School District
Dr. Scott Menzel became Scottsdale Unified School District’s 27th superintendent in July 2020, following 18 years of excellence in leadership with Michigan public school districts.
Driving Dr. Menzel’s work is the moral imperative to provide equitable and inclusive opportunities for all students. Upon arriving, he initiated a future-focused, strategic planning process that has set Scottsdale Unified’s course for the next five to ten years, engaging the district’s broad community of stakeholders to articulate a vision for the district’s future that is both aspirational and inspirational. This collaborative process served to ensure Scottsdale Unified remains focused on the success of its more than 20,000 students today and in the world tomorrow.
Always looking to the future, Dr. Scott Menzel’s approach to education is student-centered, with a relentless commitment to excellence and opportunity for all.
Prior to coming to SUSD, Dr. Menzel spent nine years in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving as superintendent of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), which includes many public school districts, academies, and facilities in Washtenaw County. At WISD, he oversaw the delivery of early childhood and special education, professional development, and technology and data management programs on behalf of nine area school districts. Prior to that, he was superintendent of the Livingston Educational Service Agency for four years and superintendent of Whitmore Lake Public Schools for the five years before that.
Dr. Menzel has a PhD in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University, a master’s degree in Philosophy and Social Policy from American University in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s degree in Religion from Vanguard University in California.
Dr. Eric Leshinskie
President of Scottsdale Community College
Dr. Eric Leshinskie was named the fourth president of Scottsdale Community College (SCC) in July 2022.
Prior to joining SCC, he served as the Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost for the Maricopa
County Community College District, providing system-level leadership to improve student outcomes.
Prior to that, Dr. Leshinskie was the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Paradise Valley Community
College and Glendale Community College. In 2019-2020, Dr. Leshinskie was one of 40 academic leaders
across the nation to complete the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence, a
leadership program aimed at preparing the next generation of community college presidents to
transform institutions to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success, both in college
and in the labor market. His career in public education and his passion for serving students began in
Arlington, Virginia, where he was a middle school English teacher from 1994-1998.
Dr. Leshinskie earned his Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Innovation in May 2017 from the
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers’ College at Arizona State University. He also received his Master of Education
in Learning and Instructional Technology from ASU and completed his undergraduate work at the
University of Richmond, in Richmond, VA, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in English.
Jeanne Casteen
Executive Director, Secular, AZ
District public school educator, former school board member- Creighton
Dr. Karen Benson is a champion of aspiring teachers and leaders pursuing careers in education
today. An experienced educator and district leader, she specializes in teacher induction and mentoring,
leadership development, community engagement, and continuous improvement at the school, district
and regional levels.
Dr. Benson joined the team of educators at the Mary Lou Fulton College as Clinical Assistant Professor in
the fall of 2024. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, Curriculum Studies, from Arizona State
University, and is a proud and grateful “Mom” of two young men, Clay and Cole, and companion to
Michael Anderson.
Dr. Karen Benson
Clinical Assistant Professor Arizona State University
District public school educator, administrator, curriculum expert
Dr. Karen Benson is a champion of aspiring teachers and leaders pursuing careers in education today. An experienced educator and district leader, she specializes in teacher induction and mentoring, leadership development, community engagement, and continuous improvement at the school, district and regional levels.
Dr. Benson joined the team of educators at the Mary Lou Fulton College as Clinical Assistant Professor in the fall of 2024. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, Curriculum Studies, from Arizona State University, and is a proud and grateful “Mom” of two young men, Clay and Cole, and companion to Michael Anderson.