August 1, 2025

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada State Board of Education voted Wednesday to select six candidates for interviews for the Superintendent of Public Instruction position.

The candidates will be invited to an in-person interview on Aug. 28 or 29 in Las Vegas.

“Following a rigorous review of a highly qualified applicant pool, we are pleased to invite a select group of outstanding finalists to the interview stage,” said Dr. Katherine Dockweiler, President of the Nevada State Board of Education. “Each candidate brings a distinct portfolio of experience, leadership, and vision aligned with our commitment to educational excellence.”

The six candidates – Dr. Lisa Coons, Dr. Sylvia Mitchell, Dr. Heather Sanchez, Amy Suman, Dr. Victor Wakefield, and Dr. Darryl Wyatt – were chosen from a pool of 19 applicants through a blind review process. Interviews will be conducted during public meetings.

Candidate application packets – with names and other personally identifiable information redacted – are posted on the Nevada Department of Education’s website: July 30, 2025 State Board of Education Support Materials.

During its Wednesday meeting, the State Board also made other key decisions related to the Superintendent search on topics such as interview questions, a performance task, the interview format, and rubrics.

Following the formal interviews, and in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 385.150, the Board will submit a list of three qualified candidates to Governor Lombardo, who will make the final appointment.

Dr. Steve Canavero stepped into the Interim Superintendent role in April to lead the Nevada Department of Education during the transitional process until a permanent superintendent is appointed.

For more information about the Superintendent search process, please visit the Nevada Department of Education’s website: July 30, 2025 State Board of Education Support Materials.

About the Nevada Department of Education

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators. Learn more at https://doe.nv.gov/ and join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.