About the Author

Richard Gorton

Richard A. Gorton received his doctorate from Stanford University, majoring in school administration. His Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance were conferred by the University of Iowa. Dr. Gorton’s school experience includes teaching, counseling and guidance, and administration. He was Department Chairperson and Professor of Administrative Leadership and Supervision at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. He is currently a consultant with Gorton Associates in San Diego, California.A leader in state and national administrator orga-nizations, Dr. Gorton has collaborated on a national study of “the effective principal.” Because of his expertise and practical experience, he has frequently been called on as a consultant and workshop leader in the areas of teacher and administrator evaluation, in-service education, program evaluation, instructional supervision, student disciplinary problems, school-community relations, problem solving, and conflict resolution.Dr. Gorton has published two textbooks, two monographs, and over 100 articles, book reviews, and abstracts on a variety of topics related to educational administration and supervision, as well as education in general. Dr. Gorton’s other textbook for which he was senior author, School-Based Leadership. Challenges and Opportunities, is used in nu-merous university courses devoted to administrator preparation and by school districts for in-service education. He has also served as senior editor for The Encyclopedia of School Administration and Supervision.

Judy Alston

Judy A. Alston received her Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University, two master's degrees at the University of South Carolina, and her bachelor's degree in English from Winthrop College in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Prior to teaching in the academy, she was a high school English teacher/teacher-leader in the public school system in South Carolina. Currently Dr. Alston holds the positions of Associate Dean and Director of the Center for Education at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Widener, she served as the Chair of the Division of Educational Administration and Leadership Studies at Bowling Green State University. Her research foci include gender and educational leadership with a focus on black female school superintendents; urban education and educational leadership highlighting administrative reform in urban schools; diversity and educational leadership exploring how the intersections of class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual diversity, and ability affect leaders, and spirituality and leadership. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters in these areas of research, as well as the author of Multi-leadership in Urban Schools.