Dr. Russell Booker
Dr. Russell Booker is CEO of the Spartanburg Academic Movement in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he champions education as a pathway to leadership, service, and opportunity for every child. He previously served as Superintendent of Spartanburg County School District Seven and York School District One, leading major district transformation efforts including structural reform, digital immersion, and a comprehensive capital plan.
A widely recognized education leader, Dr. Booker has held numerous state and national leadership roles and has been honored with distinctions including South Carolina Superintendent of the Year and the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. He served as the Chair of the StriveTogether Board of Directors and is currently a board member of Purpose Built Communities and served on South Carolina’s Education Oversight Committee. He holds a B.S. degree from Wingate University and a Ph.D. from University of South Carolina. He has been awarded two honorary doctorates and remains deeply engaged in civic and community leadership across Spartanburg and beyond.
Dr. Booker previously spent time as a 2023-2025 By All Means Senior Fellow with EdRedesign, where he made valuable contributions to the Harvard community by engaging with students, faculty, staff, and fellows across campus on topics ranging from place-based partnerships to the role religious organizations can play as partners on tackling child poverty and educational inequity.
In his role as a Joint Senior Fellow, Dr. Booker will undertake a project at the intersection of the superintendency and place-based, cross-sector collaboration, examining how system leaders can more effectively engage community partners to improve outcomes for children and families from cradle to career. Developed in partnership with EdRedesign and ISCL, this project will inform practice, policy, and public understanding. Dr. Booker will also serve as a strategic advisor to both EdRedesign and ISCL, offering insight and guidance to support their shared efforts to strengthen civic leadership in education.
Dr. Booker’s appointment will begin in July 2026 and extends through June 2028.