MASA named Dr. Kristin Dehmer, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Administrative Services for Moorhead Area Public Schools, recipient of the 2025 Richard Green Scholar Award. Dr. Dehmer was honored at the 2025 MASA Fall Conference where she presented her research, “The Relationship Between Mentorship, Career Pathways and Success in the Superintendency: A Comparative Study of Men and Women Educational Leaders in Minnesota.”
MASA established the Richard Green Scholars Program in 2006 to honor the scholarly work and professional development of Minnesota school leaders. The program is an annual recognition of the research, writing, and presentation of a paper reflecting the practice of excellent school leadership. Scholar candidates apply for the program, and a subcommittee of the MASA Executive Development Committee selects the recipient.
MASA is grateful to Cuningham for their ongoing support of the Richard Green Scholars Program.
Dr. Dehmer’s research explores mentorship, career pathways, and gender disparities in the superintendency. Her study examined how men and women access mentorship and experience barriers in pursuing superintendent roles, highlighting differences in career pathways, hiring practices, and supports needed for success. Findings point to the importance of intentional mentorship opportunities and systemic changes in hiring to promote equitable access to leadership positions. Her full dissertation is available at https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/966.
Dr. Dehmer has served Moorhead Area Public Schools since 2012 in progressively expanding leadership roles, including Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations. She currently oversees districtwide business services, human resources, equity and inclusion, health services, food service, and activities.
She earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University Moorhead, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Mary, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of North Dakota. Dr. Dehmer serves on the board of directors for both MASA and the Minnesota Association of Personnel Administrators.
