Dr. Jane Cobia is a professor and director of the doctoral program for the School of Education at Samford. Dr. Cobia has spent 25 years in the public education arena serving as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, education specialist for the Alabama State Department of Education and superintendent. She has served as an education consultant for school improvement, on the ASCD Board of Directors, and is certified as a superintendent mentor trainer. She has taught as an adjunct of graduate level courses since 2001 for Jacksonville State University, University of Montevallo and Auburn University at Montgomery. She is executive director for Alabama ASCD, the treasurer for Sylacauga Rotary Club, and a founding member of the Marble Valley DAR. She serves on numerous boards and is active in professional and civic organizations (Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement, CLAS, ASCD, KDP, Boy Scouts of America, Omicron Delta Kappa).
Degrees and Certifications
- EdD Curriculum and Instruction with Administration, University of Alabama
- MA Education with Administrative Certification, University of Alabama
- BS Home Economics Education, Jacksonville State University
- Graduate of Superintendent's Leadership Network
- Graduate of Alabama Superintendent's Academy
- Certified Superintendent Mentor Trainer
Expertise
- leadership and administration
- finances
- team building
Awards and Honors
- Leadership Alabama, Class XVI
- CLAS State Leadership Award
- Innovative Curriculum Award, Alabama ASCD
- Area of Communications Exceptional Progress Award, ASCD
- Distinguished Service Award, Cheaha District Boy Scouts of America
Publications
- Book, co-author, Leadership for High Performing Schools: A Handbook for Action 2015
- Article, co-author, Resiliency and The Whole Teacher, submitted for publication 2014
- Article, co-author, Female School superintendents: Advantages and Barriers to Their Career Paths, MSERA, November 2013
- Article, International Education – Visits, Views, and Observations, CLAS Leader, Volume 40, No. 2, 2012
- E-newsletter, Editor, quarterly August 2012-present (11 issues) AASCD
Presentations
- ASCD International Conference, Houston, TX March 2015
- Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI January 2015
- KDP International Conference, Calgary, Canada October 2014
- National Elementary School Principals Association, Nashville, TN July 2014
- KDP Convocation, Dallas, TX October 2013
Involvement
- Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement, board member
- ASCD, international board member
- CLAS, former president, board member
- Alabama ASCD, Executive Director, former board member and president
- Marble Valley DAR Chapter, organizing charter member, chaplain
- Sylacauga Rotary, treasurer
