Dr. Grenita Lathan was named interim superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in March 2018. Under her leadership as chief academic officer and interim superintendent, 92% of HISD’s campuses were rated Met Standard in 2018 (252 out of 275 rated campuses). In 2019 under her leadership, Kashmere High School, the longest running improvement required campus in the state, exited improvement required status.
In 1991, Dr. Lathan began her career in education as a teacher at Morehead High School in Eden, NC. While in North Carolina, she also served as both assistant principal and principal at other campuses. In 2008, she was named chief elementary school improvement officer of the San Diego Unified School District and then interim deputy superintendent in 2009.
Dr. Lathan was then named the superintendent of Peoria Public Schools in 2010. Five years later in 2015, Dr. Lathan moved to Houston and served as HISD’s chief school officer over elementary transformation schools for a year. During this time, she led more than 20 schools out of an “improvement required” state rating to a “met standard” rating. From 2016-2018, she served as HISD’s chief academic officer.
Dr. Lathan holds a bachelor’s degree in business education from North Carolina A&T State University, a master’s degree in business education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University.
She supports numerous philanthropic organizations. She is a proud silver member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter. She is a charter member of the Katy-Richmond Area Chapter (TX) of the Links, Incorporated.
Dr. Lathan’s passion for helping women shatter the glass ceiling motivates her to coach young women around personal and professional growth. She lives by the mantra “If I can help somebody, as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.”
Dr. Lathan is married and has one daughter.
