Biography Deborah A. Gist State Superintendent of Education Deborah Gist is the current State Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia. In this capacity, Ms. Gist is responsible for enhancing state-level educational services and opportunities for all District residents through research, effective policy, and programs that ensure the equitable distribution and availability of administrative, financial, and nutrition resources. Prior to this assignment, she served for three years as the executive director of Serve DC. As executive director, Ms. Gist designed and implemented plans to create the Mayor’s office on volunteerism and state office for national service programs in the District of Columbia. In this role, Ms. Gist oversaw a budget of more than $4 million in local, federal, and private funds; supervised a staff of 14; and worked with stakeholders to create a citywide strategic plan for service and volunteerism. With Ms. Gist’s leadership, Serve DC achieved a 500 percent increase in funding for programs granted to the community including AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, and Learn and Serve; created the DC Citizen Corps, which has trained more than 1,600 volunteers in emergency preparedness; and launched several new programs, such as the Mayor’s Community Service Awards and the DC Youth Advisory Council. Prior to joining District government, Ms. Gist was the director of marketing and development for Discovery Creek Children's Museum. She conceptualized and directed the museum's comprehensive fundraising programs and led new fundraising initiatives for contributed revenue, major gifts, and program-specific support. She also served as a senior policy advisor at the US Department of Education. She advised the Deputy Secretary on selected initiatives and priority issues, analyzed proposed policy initiatives, and conducted research and feasibility studies. In 1996, Ms. Gist founded Hillsborough Reads, a literacy program in Florida, and served as director until 1999. Under her leadership, the program had a successful impact on the literacy of young children, and the literacy tutoring model she developed also received national recognition. The foundation of Ms. Gist's career is her eight years of experience as a public school teacher. She taught grades first through third, served as a model teacher and trainer for other educators, and was twice named Teacher of the Year. Ms. Gist earned a masters in public administration from Harvard University, where she was also selected as a Kennedy Fellow and received the Littauer Fellowship for academic excellence and community service. She has a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from the University of Oklahoma and a Master's of Education from the University of South Florida. She is active in the District of Columbia as a volunteer for START DC, as a foster caregiver for homeless animals, and as a Sunday school teacher and member of the Board of Deaconesses at National City Christian Church. Ms. Gist lives in Ward 6.