The Special Education Director as a Strategic District Leader

Kindel Mason has more than three decades of experience in special education as a teacher, consultant, and administrator. He spent over 18 years as a Director of Support Services and previously served as a Special Education Consultant with the Idaho State Department of Education. Throughout his career, Kindel has championed inclusive practices, effective leadership, and high-quality services for students.

A longtime leader within the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), Kindel has served as National CASE President, as well as in leadership roles with the Council for Exceptional Children and the Idaho Association of Special Education Administrators. He has also been recognized as Idaho’s Outstanding Special Education Administrator and Idaho State University’s Outstanding Educator.

Joe Kwisz is the Executive Director of Old National Trail Special Services and current President of the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), with 14 years of experience as a Special Education Administrator. Before entering administration, he taught students with emotional disabilities, giving him a practical perspective on the challenges facing educators and students.

Throughout his leadership with CASE and Indiana CASE, Joe has focused on developing sustainable special education leaders, strengthening the profession, and addressing workforce challenges. He designed the State Board of Education-approved Aspiring Statewide Special Education Teacher (ASSET) program, which provides educators a no-cost pathway to add special education endorsements to their licenses. In just two years, the program helped add nearly 300 special education licenses across Indiana.

Joe prioritizes trust, collaboration, and strong relationships and believes in exploring every option to build effective systems and services for students with exceptional needs.

Millard L. House II is a nationally recognized education leader with more than 30 years of experience leading transformation in some of the nation’s largest and most complex public school systems. He most recently served as Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and previously served as Superintendent of Houston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas. His leadership experience also includes serving as Superintendent of Schools in Clarksville-Montgomery County, Tennessee, Chief Operating Officer of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and Deputy Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools.

Throughout his career, Mr. House has focused on improving student achievement, strengthening organizational effectiveness, developing leaders, and advancing equity through strategic, student-centered leadership. He currently serves as an Executive Coach and AI Strategy Facilitator with the ILO Group, where he supports district leadership teams from across the country in responsibly implementing artificial intelligence, innovation, and organizational strategy. He also serves as a Strategic Advisor to Soliant, providing executive guidance on talent strategy, workforce development, and district partnerships.

Known for his collaborative leadership style and systems-thinking approach, Mr. House is passionate about developing leaders, building high-performing teams, and creating organizational cultures that enable both adults and students to thrive.