People

As the Executive Director of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Practice, Dr. Corneille serves as the department’s direct connection between the fields of research and practice in PK-12 education. She leads the Minnesota Principals Academy, the University’s executive development program for school leaders that leads toward doctoral work. Dr. Corneille also teaches courses for aspiring school leaders within the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD), co-coordinates curriculum alignment for administrative licensure and doctoral standards, and fosters statewide partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and major educational associations.

Dr. Corneille brings extensive executive district and state-level leadership experience to the University. She previously served as a Superintendent of Schools, where she gained statewide recognition for her strategic visioning, successful multi-year operational planning, and fiscal stewardship—including leading high-voter-approval referendums. A proven advocate for K-12 education, she has frequently testified at the state legislature on student-centered funding and policy reform. Her career spanning PK-12 education also includes serving as a Director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, where she secured significant grant funding for district alignment, as well as a middle school administrator and classroom teacher.

Dr. Corneille believes that educational systems must be built on the notion that there is no such thing as other people’s children—that all children are ours. She sees her role at the University of Minnesota as supporting Scholarly Leaders in understanding not only instructional and management systems, but how their leadership can actively close achievement gaps and serve as a positive, transformative force in the larger educational ecosystem.