25 School Principals in Atlanta to Know in 2026

Last updated: August 2026.

Atlanta’s principals shape the daily experience of students, families and staff. This guide introduces 25 current school leaders across Atlanta Public Schools and public charter communities, with a focus on practical leadership close to home.

The names are arranged alphabetically, so this is a directory rather than a ranking. Every short profile stays close to the leader’s role and the experience described by their school or network.

Why this matters

Principals help turn a school’s aims into a consistent experience for students and adults. They set the tone for communication, support teachers and make decisions when a school day becomes difficult.

Atlanta’s district, charter and academy settings serve communities with different histories and needs. Reading across those settings can help leaders notice useful ideas without pretending that one school’s answer will fit another.

1. Gretchian Blair

Principal, William M. Boyd Elementary School

Gretchian Blair leads William M. Boyd Elementary School in Atlanta. She stepped into the principal role as a new chapter began for the school community.

That transition places Blair at the centre of the routines, relationships and clear messages that help students and adults feel steady. Her work is worth noticing for leaders thinking about how to begin well and build trust over time.

2. Chanté Williams Blackwell

Principal, T. J. Perkerson Elementary School

Chanté Williams Blackwell leads T. J. Perkerson Elementary School in Atlanta. She brings 28 years of service in education to the role.

That depth of experience matters in a job that asks a leader to hold both long-term direction and daily detail. Blackwell offers a local example of the patience and continuity that strong school communities need.

3. Phillip A. Braziel II

Principal, South Atlanta High School

Phillip A. Braziel II leads South Atlanta High School. He is serving as principal for the 2025 to 2026 school year.

High school leadership joins student learning with preparation for life beyond graduation. Braziel’s role is a useful one to follow for leaders interested in keeping purpose, expectations and opportunity connected.

4. Caroline Brown

Principal, Fred A. Toomer Elementary School

Caroline Brown leads Fred A. Toomer Elementary School and has served as principal since 2018. Her years in the role give her a sustained view of the school and its community.

Continuity can help a leader see which habits deserve to be protected and where change is needed. Brown’s tenure makes her worth noticing for anyone thinking about steady improvement over several school years.

5. Tiauna Crooms

Principal, Booker T. Washington High School

Tiauna Crooms leads Booker T. Washington High School. Her earlier service as Senior Academy principal gives her experience within the school’s leadership setting.

Moving from one leadership responsibility into another can bring valuable knowledge of students, staff and community expectations. Crooms offers an example of how experience inside a school can support continuity at the top.

6. Chendra Dupree

Principal, Herman J. Russell West End Academy

Chendra Dupree leads Herman J. Russell West End Academy. As principal, she holds responsibility for the learning culture and the daily systems that help the school work.

Middle-grade leadership sits at an important stage in a young person’s development. Dupree’s role is worth following for educators interested in how schools combine clear expectations with care during those years.

7. Ramon Garner

Principal, Benjamin E. Mays High School

Ramon Garner leads Benjamin E. Mays High School. His role connects the school’s academic direction with the relationships that support students through high school.

That work calls for clarity across many moving parts, from staff practice to family communication. Garner is a leader to know for people studying how a large school keeps its purpose visible.

8. Kimberly Gibbs

Principal, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

Kimberly Gibbs leads Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School for the 2025 to 2026 school year. Her work sits at the point where students are gaining independence while still needing strong adult support.

The middle school years reward leaders who make expectations easy to understand and relationships easy to access. Gibbs offers a current Atlanta example of leadership at that important stage.

9. Shannon Holloman

Principal, Barack and Michelle Obama Academy

Shannon Holloman leads Barack and Michelle Obama Academy for the 2026 to 2027 school year. She carries responsibility for guiding the academy into its next season.

A new school year gives leaders a chance to make priorities clear and help people see how their work fits together. Holloman is worth noticing for anyone interested in how a principal sets an early rhythm for a community.

10. Shermaine Jennings

Principal, Frederick Douglass High School

Shermaine Jennings leads Frederick Douglass High School. She brings 23 years in education, including 12 years at Douglass.

That combination of professional depth and local knowledge can help a leader connect history with the needs in front of the school now. Jennings offers a strong example of leadership grounded in a long relationship with one community.

11. Keisha Knight

Principal, Hope-Hill Elementary School

Keisha Knight leads Hope-Hill Elementary School and brings more than two decades in education. Her experience spans the steady work of helping children, families and teachers move forward together.

Elementary leadership often depends on making complex decisions feel clear and human. Knight is worth following for leaders who value experience, consistency and a welcoming school culture.

12. Emanuel Mathis

K to 8 Principal, KIPP STRIVE Campus

Emanuel Mathis leads the KIPP STRIVE Campus as its K to 8 principal. His role links the primary and middle school years within one campus community.

That span creates an opportunity to build consistent expectations as students grow. Mathis is a useful leader to know for anyone interested in continuity across several stages of learning.

13. Qualyn McIntyre

Principal, Frank L. Stanton Elementary School

Qualyn McIntyre leads Frank L. Stanton Elementary School and brings more than 20 years in education. His experience supports a role centred on both learning and belonging.

Long service can sharpen a leader’s sense of which details make the biggest difference to a school day. McIntyre offers a local example of experience applied close to students and families.

14. Dominique Merriweather

Principal, Willis A. Sutton Middle School

Dominique Merriweather leads Willis A. Sutton Middle School. The role places her at the centre of a school community serving students through the middle grades.

These years ask leaders to balance growing independence with reliable support. Merriweather is worth knowing for educators thinking about how culture and clear expectations work together.

15. Angela Mitchell

Principal, North Atlanta High School

Angela Mitchell leads North Atlanta High School. She began teaching with Atlanta Public Schools in 1999, giving her deep experience within the district.

That history can help a leader understand both the system and the people it serves. Mitchell offers a strong example of a career in education growing into responsibility for a large school community.

16. Yusuf Muhammad

Principal, Phoenix Academy

Yusuf Muhammad leads Phoenix Academy. His role calls for leadership that keeps pathways visible and helps students stay connected with their next step.

Alternative learning settings can require especially clear communication and a strong belief in each student’s capacity to move forward. Muhammad is a leader to know for people interested in practical, opportunity-focused school leadership.

17. Thalise Perry

Principal, L. P. Miles Elementary School

Thalise Perry leads L. P. Miles Elementary School and is in her 10th year as principal. Her tenure reflects a sustained commitment to one school community.

A decade in the role gives a leader time to see the effect of routines, relationships and decisions across many cohorts of students. Perry offers a valuable example of long-term stewardship at the elementary level.

18. Tiffany Ragin

Principal, J. W. Dobbs Elementary School

Tiffany Ragin leads J. W. Dobbs Elementary School. Her role brings together the daily work of teaching, family connection and community governance.

Elementary schools work best when people understand both the purpose and the next practical step. Ragin is worth noticing for leaders interested in keeping those two things close together.

19. Zawadaski Robinson

Principal, Henry Louis Hank Aaron Academy

Zawadaski Robinson leads Henry Louis Hank Aaron Academy. Robinson has served with Atlanta Public Schools since 2004.

That district experience provides a broad view of how school systems and local communities meet. Robinson offers a useful example of long service carried into school-level leadership.

20. Nathaniel “Nate” Snyder

Principal, KIPP WAYS Campus

Nathaniel “Nate” Snyder leads the KIPP WAYS Campus. His role covers a campus community serving students across important early stages of learning.

Campus leadership depends on making expectations consistent while staying close to the needs of different age groups. Snyder is worth following for educators interested in that balance.

21. Heather Stephenson

Principal, Bolton Academy

Heather Stephenson leads Bolton Academy. She joined Atlanta Public Schools in 2005 and brings that district experience to the principal role.

Years within one system can help a leader understand its strengths, language and practical constraints. Stephenson offers a local example of experience turned towards a school community’s daily needs.

22. Jaron Trimble

Principal, Joseph W. Humphries Elementary School

Jaron Trimble leads Joseph W. Humphries Elementary School and was appointed principal in 2021. His years in the role give him a growing view of the school across several cycles.

That continuity can support careful improvement without losing sight of relationships. Trimble is worth knowing for leaders thinking about how steady work compounds over time.

23. Authur Washington

Principal, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate

Authur Washington leads KIPP Atlanta Collegiate and previously served on its founding staff. His connection with the school reaches back to its early story.

Founding experience can give a principal a clear sense of why a school began and how its purpose has developed. Washington offers a useful example of institutional memory carried into current leadership.

24. Robert Williams

Principal, B.E.S.T. Academy at the Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Institute

Robert Williams leads B.E.S.T. Academy at the Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Institute. He began serving as principal in June 2024.

The early years of a principalship are a chance to listen closely, set priorities and build a reliable rhythm. Williams is worth following for people interested in how leadership takes shape through that period.

25. Tasharah Wilson

Principal, Atlanta College and Career Academy

Tasharah Wilson leads Atlanta College and Career Academy. Her role connects school leadership with pathways that help students prepare for college, careers and further training.

That work asks a leader to keep learning practical and opportunity visible. Wilson is a leader to know for educators interested in helping students see where their next step can lead.

What this can teach us

These leaders work in different school communities, but their roles share a demanding reality. A principal holds both the human side of a school and the responsibility to keep learning organised.

The practical question is not how to copy a person on this page. It is how to notice one helpful habit and adapt it with care, whether that means a warmer welcome, a clearer family message or a more reliable staff rhythm.

How to use this guide

Choose one leader or school that is relevant to your setting and learn more about the community they serve. Notice a small leadership practice that could strengthen your own school, then test it in a way that fits your people.

Keep the learning specific and listen for what changes. The aim is not to add more noise, but to make the next useful action easier for the people around you.

Frequently asked questions

What can a school leader learn from this guide?

Use the guide to notice practical leadership habits in different school settings. A clear message, a steady routine or a thoughtful welcome can be adapted with care for your own community.

Are these the only principals in Atlanta worth knowing?

No. Atlanta has many thoughtful school leaders, and roles can change over time. This is a focused group of 25 leaders, not a complete map of every principal in the city.

Can families use this guide?

Yes. Families can use it to recognise leaders connected with schools in their community and learn more about each school’s work.

What should another principal take from this page?

Look for one small leadership habit that could strengthen your own school. Shape it for your context, test it with care and pay attention to what helps people feel supported.

Related reading

You may also find our guide to school leadership across the Middle East and Africa useful.

You may also find our guide to leadership development experts for schools useful.

You may also find our guide to educational system leaders to follow useful.

A practical next step

If your school wants leadership ideas that people can use on Monday morning, Consult Clarity can help you put clear and practical habits into place.

About the author

Jonno White is the founder of Consult Clarity. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at.

Conclusion

Good school leadership is visible in the daily experience of students, families and staff. These Atlanta principals each hold a role that shapes that experience in a different community.

Stay curious about the practical choices leaders make every day. Choose one idea that fits your setting and put it into action with care.