The National Rural Education Association is pleased to announce four new members of the NREA Executive Board, who will begin their 3-year term on January 1, 2026.
NREA held elections for three of the open Executive Board positions in December. The ballot was open for voting to any member of the NREA in good standing until October 31, 2025. The President-Elect Designate will serve in the presidential sequence ending December 2030, and the State Affiliate B will serve in their role until December 2028.
The State Education Agency Representative position was appointed by the Executive Board to fill an open seat per the NREA Bylaws. The Rural Research Representative was elected by acclamation according to NREA Bylaws. Both of these positions will serve in their role until December 2028.
Thank you to all who ran, and those who voted in the election. Please read more below about each of the new Executive Board members, and join us in congratulating them on their new roles.
President-Elect Designate (2026-2028)
Dr. Chris Lagoni, Indiana
Executive Director
Indiana Association of Small and Rural Schools
Dr. Christopher Lagoni has spent 34 years working in education, serving as a middle school teacher, principal of both elementary and middle schools, assistant principal of a high school, and superintendent. In 2016, he transitioned to higher education, working as an assistant professor for Indiana Wesleyan University.
In 2017, he took over as Executive Director of the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, succeeding Scott Turney, who was retiring. The ISRSA has doubled in size under the guidance of Christopher Lagoni over the last few years. This role is a part-time position and an area of service and mission that warms Dr. Lagoni’s heart.
Besides teaching education classes to graduate students in school leadership and chairing dissertation committees at Indiana Wesleyan University, Dr. Lagoni also uses his industrial and technology experience to teach undergraduates at the local community college, introductory courses in Programmable Logic Controllers, HVAC Electrical, and industrial automation.
This experience in the world outside of education has also led Indiana Wesleyan University to select him to lead their new Vocational School, which will start its first ASE Automotive Program this year.
Christopher Lagoni has been married to his wife, Alyssa, for 28 years, and they have three children: Lauren, Kaitlyn, and Rebecca. They reside in Kokomo, Indiana.
State Affiliate Representative B (2026-2028)
Yuri Calderon, California
Executive Director
California Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA)
Yuri Calderon serves as the Executive Director of the Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA), representing and advocating for hundreds of small and rural school districts across California. Under his leadership, SSDA has expanded its influence in legislative advocacy, professional development, and member engagement, becoming a trusted voice for equitable educational opportunities in rural communities.
Calderon has been a strong national advocate for Secure Rural Schools and the full funding of IDEA, working closely with federal and state leaders to ensure that rural students receive the resources and support they deserve. With decades of experience in education policy, governance, and community partnerships, he is deeply committed to strengthening the voice of rural education nationwide and advancing the mission of the National Rural Education Association.
State Education Agency Representative (2026-2028)
Dr. Bronwyn Ragan-Martin, Georgia
Deputy Superintendent, Rural Education & Innovation
Georgia Department of Education
Since its formation in 2021, Dr. Bronwyn Ragan-Martin has served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Rural Education and Innovation. This Office is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by rural communities for all students, families, and educators.
Dr. Martin was previously the Superintendent of the Early County School System, a small rural system in southwest Georgia. She led a district with almost 2,000 students and 300 employees. She previously served as the system’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and coordinated human resources, testing, gifted education, and leadership development. Prior to that, she was a high school English teacher and debate coach.
Dr. Martin graduated with a degree in English from Mount Holyoke College. She holds a master’s in English Education from Georgia Southwestern College and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Valdosta State University.
She is Past President of the Blakely-Early County Chamber of Commerce and served on the local Department of Health and Library Board. She is a member of the Blakely Rotary Club, former Chairperson of the Southwest Georgia RESA Board of Control, and is a Past President of the Georgia School Superintendents Association.
Most importantly, she is the mother of Jarrett and Atticus, both college students. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, yoga, and serving in her church.
Rural Research Center Representative (2026-2028)
Dr. Jerry D. Johnson, North Carolina
Rural Education Institute (REI) Director and Phoebe Moore Dail Distinguished Professor in Rural Education
East Carolina University
Dr. Jerry Johnson is REI Director, Professor of Educational Leadership, and Phoebe Moore Dail Distinguished Professor in Rural Education at East Carolina University. A former English teacher and high school principal, Johnson served from 2003-2008 as policy research director for a national non-profit organization addressing the crucial relationship between good schools and thriving communities (the Rural School and Community Trust) and has been a higher education faculty member and administrator for over a decade. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Eastern Kentucky University, an M.A. in English Literature from Eastern Kentucky University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Ohio University.
Johnson is the author of more than 70 publications on rural education policy, school-based leadership, and place-based learning. Johnson’s research has been supported by external funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences and Office of English Language Acquisition, state departments of education, private foundations, and local school districts. His research has been the basis for testifying before state legislatures, presenting research briefings on Capitol Hill, and contributing to the development of state and federal legislation and regulations regarding the funding and operation of public schools and the preparation of teachers and leaders. In addition to his work in the U.S., Dr. Johnson consults regularly with universities and ministries of education in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe on leadership development and higher education reform initiatives.
Current leadership roles in professional organizations include serving as Associate Editor of the Journal of Research in Rural Education, Advisory Board Member for the UCF Center for Community Schools, and Advisory Board member for the Nigeria-based Marben Foundation. Johnson also serves on NREA’s Why Rural Matters team, which released a new report this year at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education. In 2017, Johnson received NREA’s Stanley A. Brzezinski Memorial Rural Education Research Award.
–
The National Rural Education Association (NREA) was originally founded as the Department of Rural Education in 1907. It is the oldest established national organization in the United States. As the trusted voice for rural education, the NREA advocates for every rural learner, educator, and community. The NREA envisions strong rural schools and communities where education is the catalyst for resilience, opportunity and success.
