The Roaring Fork Schools Board of Education has named three finalists for the next Superintendent of Roaring Fork Schools: Tammy Clementi, Jose “Joe” Lopez and Jesús Rodriguez.

Starting April 14, each finalist will spend a full day in the district beginning with school tours in the morning, advisory committee meetings in the afternoon and an open community forum in the evening.

Meet the candidates

Tammy Clementi has served students, teachers and administrators since 1987. She was a classroom teacher for 14 years, instructional coach, building level administrator, director of elementary education, director of student achievement and chief academic officer in two large urban districts, and an interim superintendent. She also served as a turnaround manager for the Colorado Department of Education.

She has worked in public education at a national level, serving for more than six years as a national director of academic planning and analytics for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. She has also been a national speaker at educational leadership conferences.

“I am beyond grateful at the possibility of serving the Roaring Fork School District,” she said in a prepared statement. “Being a native of Colorado, I know the area well, but I am very much looking forward to meeting district staff, students, parents, and community members. I have really enjoyed learning about the amazing staff, initiatives, programs and opportunities for students and families.

“Being there in person will certainly solidify what I know and believe about the district as I share their undying commitment to serve students and their unique communities,” Clementi said.

Jose “Joe” Lopez is currently superintendent of schools of Kermit Independent School District (ISD) in Texas, where he has served since 2019. He has 22 years of experience serving as a teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, principal at both the elementary and secondary level, and central office administrator.

“I am both proud and honored to be afforded the opportunity to further engage with the Roaring Fork School District Board of Education so that I can learn more about your passion for serving students, staff, and the community. I am equally excited to introduce you to my family,” Lopez said in a provided statement.

Jesús Rodríguez is currently the deputy chief academic officer of content in the Dallas ISD. He has served as an educator in a variety of capacities in Colorado, including as a classroom teacher, an instructional superintendent in the Denver Public Schools, and executive director of the BUENO center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

“I was born in Colorado and raised in the Front Range in communities like those of Roaring Fork Schools. My leadership experiences in closing opportunity gaps, prioritizing the strengths and needs of all learners and effectively engaging a variety of diverse stakeholders align well with the needs in Roaring Fork Schools,” Rodríguez said a statement.

Rodríguez began his career in Denver Public Schools as a bilingual teacher and later served as a successful turnaround school principal, earning a Center of Excellence award from CDE.

RFSD Board President Kathryn Kuhlenberg said the board was excited by the depth and strength of the candidate pool that was presented by HYA.

“Narrowing the field down to these three highly qualified finalists was a difficult task, and the Board is very pleased that they have all agreed to come and spend time here in our communities over the coming weeks,” Kuhlenberg said in a news release. “Each finalist has devoted their life to the field of education and they each bring a unique background, education, and set of experiences that we believe could serve Roaring Fork Schools very well.

“During the finalist process, we encourage all members of the community to come out and share their impressions of each candidate with us.”