Dr. Richard Kitzmiller

Dr. Richard Kitzmiller, Niswonger Foundation Vice President, will serve as the Executive Director for this grant. Kitzmiller has over 40 years of exemplary service in education, including nearly ten years as a district superintendent. He has been employed at the Niswonger Foundation for six years, including work with the Foundation’s previous federal grant. Kitzmiller stated: “this project offers a unique opportunity. While the middle grades are critical in the development of students, most reform efforts focus on other grades. Most of the attention and support is directed to high schools or the earlier grades.

A native of Sullivan County, Dr. Kitzmiller graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he received his bachelor and master degrees. He received his Doctorate of Education degree in 2001 from East Tennessee State University. After graduation, Dr. Kitzmiller taught in Ohio and within the Knox County School System prior to returning to Kingsport in 1978. In 1998, he was named Kingsport City School’s staff development coordinator, where he helped develop and initiate the system’s first staff development program. He served as Superintendent of Kingsport City Schools from 2002 to 2011 and as STEM Coordinator for the Niswonger i3 Consortium. He and his wife Rosey reside in Kingsport and his three sons attended and graduated from Kingsport City Schools.