Gary Waddell

Dr. Gary Waddell serves as Superintendent of The Santa Clara Unified School District in Santa Clara, California. He has written and presented on creativity, creative leadership, and empathy-informed leadership. He previously served as Deputy Superintendent at California County Offices of Education and is a former Chair of California’s statewide Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) and California’s statewide Arts Education Subcommittee.
Dr. Waddell’s career has focused on closing achievement and opportunity gaps through innovative programs of excellence that transform learning for all students. He has been recognized with awards in the areas of human rights, leadership, and closing achievement and opportunity gaps.
Gary holds a doctorate in educational leadership in addition to advanced degrees in school administration, school counseling, and drama. He is the author of “The Art of Everything: Leading for ‘We’ in the Age of ‘Me'” (2020).