Executive Director
Brenda S. Haas, Ed.D., is the executive director of the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education. Dr. Haas comes to the OACHE with more than 30 years of experience as a K–12 educator in Appalachian Ohio. Prior to serving as principal at Dawson Bryant High School for six years, Dr. Haas served as principal at Dawson Bryant Elementary School for eight years. She was also a principal and teacher in the Rock Hill School System for nearly 20 years. A lifelong resident of the region, she holds a doctorate and master’s in education as well as a bachelor of science degree, all from Ohio University. In 2006 Dr. Haas was named the Samuel I. Hicks Executive in Residence, an award co-sponsored by the Ohio University College of Education, the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools and the Samuel I. Hicks Executive-in-Residence Endowment Fund. Her dissertation, A comparative case study of administrator stability in two rural Appalachian school districts, received an award from the American Education Research Association in 2004.
In the long term, Dr. Haas would like to see an increase in students going to and finishing college.
“That’s our next challenge,” she says, “Making sure that once we get them there they finish.”
The most rewarding part of Dr. Haas’ career is seeing graduates come back and talk to her about something she said or did that made them stay in school or go on to college.
“I have always tried to encourage others,” she said. “Too often I don’t think our children in this region think they can go to college. We are charged to make them believe they can. It’s the dream factor. Providing the dream.”