Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, an educator and public school advocate for more than 40 years, was selected as the ninth Executive Director of the New Jersey School Boards Association in September 2012. The organization’s 26-member Board of Directors approved the appointment unanimously, following a nationwide search.
As executive director, Dr. Feinsod manages the day-to-day operations of the organization, which as a 73-member staff with an annual operating budget of about $10 million. NJSBA serves more than 4,800 school board members in 586 local districts, as well as approximately 60 charter schools.
Dr. Feinsod has served as chief school administrator in the Cranford, Madison and Mount Arlington school districts. Since 2008, he was the state Department of Education’s executive county superintendent for Essex County, assisting and overseeing 23 school districts with strikingly diverse needs and challenges. He began his career as a special education teacher in Linden. In addition, he served for approximately 20 years as a member of the Board of Education of the Morris-Union Jointure Commission, including a term as the board’s president.
Dr. Feinsod is a former president and co-founder of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, a grassroots advocacy group of school administrators, school board members and parents, established in 1992. He holds a Doctor of Education degree from Rutgers University, a professional diploma in Educational Leadership from Fordham University, and a B.A. and an M.A. from Kean University.
Prior to leaving his post as Essex County Executive Superintendent to take the helm at NJSBA in October 2012, he was presented “the key to Essex County” in a formal ceremony held by Joseph Di Vincenzo, the Essex County Executive.
He is a recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from the Newark affiliate of the National Organization of African American Administrators (2012), the Outstanding Service Award from the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (2008), and the Education Leadership Award from the New Jersey Coalition of Educational Leaders for the support and advancement of women in leadership positions (2004).
Dr. Feinsod has been involved extensively in community and civic activities. He was a long-term member of the service organization Rotary International and was presented with the New Jersey State Vocational Service Award for his contributions to education from the president of Rotary International.
Dr. Feinsod and his wife, Sharon, reside in West Orange. They have two adult daughters.