A group of approximately 17 participants in the Bristol Tennessee City Schools Aspiring Leaders Academy stands on the front steps of a brick school building on a sunny day. The group is arranged in three rows and smiles toward the camera. Participants wear a mix of professional and business-casual attire, including dresses, cardigans, polos, and button-down shirts. The photo was taken outside the building entrance, with brick walls, handrails, and the school's doorway visible in the background.

BTCS Aspiring Leaders Academy Prepares Future Leaders

Bristol Tennessee City Schools

June 17, 2026

Eighteen Bristol Tennessee City Schools employees recently completed the district's Aspiring Leaders Academy, a 40-hour leadership development program designed to help participants strengthen their leadership skills and prepare for future opportunities to serve and lead within the district.

Facilitated by Dr. Suzanne Bryant and Beverly Miller, MBA, of Designing Leaders, the five-session academy provided participants with opportunities to explore leadership through the lenses of self-awareness, trust, communication, organizational culture, strategic thinking, and personal effectiveness.

"Leadership exists in every role within our district," said BTCS Director of Schools Dr. Annette Tudor. "The Aspiring Leaders Academy was designed to invest in our employees by helping them develop the skills, confidence, and perspective needed to positively influence others and support student success, regardless of their current position."

The academy was designed to help participants better understand the challenges, responsibilities, and rewards of leadership while building skills that can be applied in a variety of roles throughout the district.

"Dr. Bryant and I have dreamed of an opportunity to facilitate an academy for aspiring leaders in a best-in-class school district since launching our leadership consulting business, Designing Leaders, in June 2024," said Miller. "While we have been privileged to lead academies for existing school and district leaders, we sincerely wanted to conduct a series of workshops that could help classroom teachers and other educators better understand the challenges, complexities, and rewards of leading people in an organization."

Throughout the academy, participants engaged in collaborative discussions, leadership activities, and real-world problem-solving experiences. One of the major components of the program was the development of a problem of practice, a project focused on addressing an authentic challenge within the district or school setting.

Participants will continue their work over the summer and will present their problems of practice to district leaders in late summer, providing an opportunity to share ideas, solutions, and recommendations that could positively impact BTCS students, staff, and schools.

Miller said the cohort left a lasting impression on the facilitators.

"We could never have imagined a better group of emerging leaders than we experienced in Bristol Tennessee City Schools," she said. "The 40-hour academy afforded time to build mutual trust, something we believe is foundational in any relationship, especially those involving leadership in any capacity."

She added that the educators who participated in the academy represent a bright future for the profession and demonstrated a strong commitment to serving students and supporting their colleagues.

"The Aspiring Leaders Academy is an investment in both our employees and the future of our district," said Chief Human Resources Officer Jen Padilla. "By providing opportunities for employees to develop leadership skills, we are helping build capacity across BTCS. We are excited to see how participants apply what they have learned to continue supporting students, staff, and schools."

The Aspiring Leaders Academy reflects BTCS's ongoing commitment to developing leadership capacity throughout the organization and investing in the growth of employees at every level.

Pictured Above:

Front row, left to right: Andrew Cross, Whitney Maddox, Alison Quickel, Ashley Wright, Jenna Dunkerly, Abigail Lawson, Beverly Miller (facilitator)

Second row, left to right: Jenny Bannish, Ashley Rhea, Sarah Cross, Stephen Schneider, Suzanne Bryant (facilitator)

Third row, left to right: Lucas Gentry, Brad Morelock, Jeff Sanders, Jason Cross, Amity Vance, Amanda Mills, David Huff

Not pictured: Scott Lamie