Dr. Tiffany Anderson
Dr. Tiffany Anderson is the first
African American female superintendent of Topeka Public schools and she has been
a public school educator for 28 years, with the majority of that time as
superintendent. In addition to her role as superintendent, Dr. Anderson advises
Kansas officials on postsecondary policies and on equity policies and
legislation. In 2019, Kansas Governor, Governor Laura Kelly, appointed Dr.
Anderson to the Postsecondary Technical Education Authority (TEA), as part of
the Kansas Board of Regents and in 2020, Governor Kelly appointed Dr. Anderson
to Co-Chair the Governor’s Kansas Commission on Racial Equity and Justice. Dr.
Anderson is a fierce advocate for equity and in 2021, Dr. Anderson was a voice
for the nation’s educators and testified to Congress during the
Biden Administration on the Digital Divide.
Dr. Anderson has served as a public
and postsecondary health advocate and has improved achievement and closed achievement
gaps for students in Virginia, Missouri and in Kansas. While superintendent in Virginia, Dr.
Anderson led Montgomery County Public Schools in earning the Virginia Governor’s
Competence to Excellence Award. After leading as superintendent in Jennings, Missouri
(a suburb of St. Louis) Jennings School District moved from possible state
takeover due to poor performance to earning accreditation with distinction and the
Washington Post article referred to Dr. Anderson as, “The Woman who made schools work for
the poor.” During
her tenure in Kansas and in Missouri, the achievement scores, graduation rate
and college placement rate increased. Topeka has received 4 national Magna Awards
from the National School Board Association and various local and state
recognitions under Dr. Anderson’s leadership for equity initiatives in schools,
innovative public health programs addressing mental health and for academic achievement. Dr. Anderson is credited with leading the
district to become a trauma informed district which has resulted in the
district eliminating teen suicides for 3 consecutive years and reducing
homelessness by 20%.
Dr. Anderson earned her
undergraduate degree, and later her doctorate, from Saint Louis University in
2001 where she met her late husband, Dr. Stanley Anderson, who was an
accomplished OBGYN and one of the first robotic surgeons in Kansas City at
Research Medical Hospital. Dr. Anderson is active National Alumni Board Member
for Saint Louis University where she was honored with a second Doctorate as an
Honorary Doctorate in 2020. Dr. Anderson was recognized with the Doctor of
Humane Letters degree from Eden Theological Seminary for her service to community
and society. Dr. Anderson is also a professor of practice for K-State and adjunct
faculty for ASCD (Association for Schools and Curriculum Development) where she
serves on their 9-member national poverty cadre, which trains districts across
the nation. Dr. Anderson serves on numerous Topeka businesses and not-for-profit
boards. She serves on the Topeka
Community Foundation, she’s a chairperson on the Greater Topeka Partnership Board,
she’s a member is the Jayhawks area Council Boy scouts of America and she
serves on the Topeka Jobs for America’s Graduates Board. Dr. Anderson’s
publications include her books on transforming schools along with several
articles on public health and equity in
education, published
in local and national magazines, blogs and newspapers. Her focus on health has
been captured in publications by Heinemann Press, The Harvard Gazette, ASCD, and by numerous other agencies.
In 2016 and 2017, national documentaries were
created about Dr. Anderson’s work with addressing poverty and transforming
communities. In 2020, Dr. Anderson was a Kansas finalist for Superintendent of
the Year after serving only 5 years and she was also named as the Kansas Icon
in Education. In 2021 Dr. Anderson received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Living the Dream and the Living Legacy Awards. In 2016, Dr. Anderson was
recognized as one of the top six People with Purpose at the Oscars for her
innovative work in education. In 2014, Dr. Anderson earned national recognition
from Education Week as one of the
nation’s 16 Leaders to Learn From. Recognitions Dr. Anderson has
received include the Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteerism from President
Obama; the Salute to Excellence for Women awarded by the Urban League; the
Stellar Performance Award by the St.
Louis American and the award for Diversity in Business from the St. Louis Business Journal, among
others. Dr. Anderson is a lifetime member of the NAACP and she and her late
husband, Dr. Stanley Anderson, have two children who are college graduates and
serving in public health in addressing, cancer research and in communications.
STUDENTS FIRST: Working as a Team for Continuous Improvement
You can learn more about Dr. Anderson's work by clicking here to view Topeka Public Schools' media coverage booklet.