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MARE Superintendent Search Consultants

Dr. Michael Jinks

MARE Search Consultants

When MARE is selected to conduct a search for a new district superintendent, the school board will work with one of the following consultants to design, conduct, and lead the search. Each has experience in conducting superintendent searches.  Each has been a superintendent with recognitions for their work.  Each is dedicated to providing a customized and professional service.

Dr. Michael W. Jinks strives to unify the leadership school boards seek with candidates that have suitable experience and preparation as well as possessing a personality and character consistent with needs of the district. He has over forty years of experience in education, thirty of which was as a district superintendent, including districts in rural Nebraska and Iowa.  After twenty years as superintendent in Warrensburg, Missouri, Dr. Jinks taught in the superintendent preparation program as an Associate Professor at the University of Central Missouri.

During his service with the Warrensburg Schools, he was recognized as the Missouri Superintendent of the Year, and served on advisory committees for various organizations and DESE. A sample of his professional involvement includes: chair of the committee to develop a new state model for superintendent evaluation, member of the state advisory board for Advance Ed Accrediting Agency, chair of the School-College Relations Commission and a member of the state ACT Advisory Board. Dr. Jinks was also the lead spokesman in collective bargaining for three school systems. His Bachelor’s Degree is from the Univ. of Central Missouri with his Ed. D. from the Univ. of Nebraska. He has two sons, three granddaughters, and strives to find time for photography, hiking, reading, and general puttering around!

Dr. Paul A. Ricker has had a successful and varied career in public education, spanning nearly 40 years.  Having attended public school in Northeast Missouri, Dr. Ricker had instilled in him the values and personal qualities so critical for today’s educational leaders.  Working in conjunction with local Boards of Education to locate and employ school leaders is both enjoyable and critical to the success of each district.  Dr. Ricker has been a search consultant with MARE since 2012.  During his tenure, he has facilitated approximately 40 district searches for new leadership.  He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Truman State University, an Educational Specialist degree from Western Illinois University and an Ed. D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  Paul is married and has three grown children and five grandchildren.

Dr. Jerry Cochran completed thirty-six years in serving public students in public schools. The last eighteen years he served as the superintendent of schools in the Cole Camp R-1 schools.  Jerry led a successful bond issue effort to build fifteen new classrooms, a new gymnasium, and cafeteria/kitchen.  The district received Accredited with Distinction in academic performance from DESE every year.  Upon his retirement in 2012, he began working with the Missouri Association for Rural Education (MARE) serving as its Assistant Executive Director.  He was honored by his peers in 2015 being voted as the West Central Administrators Emeritus Award.  Dr. Cochran received a BSE and MS degree from Truman State University.  He received an Ed. Spec. and Ed. D. degree from the University of Missouri.

Mr. Darryl Pannier enjoyed 31 years as an educator in public education.  Fifteen of which were served as a Superintendent.  He had the privilege of serving the Fayette R-III School District for eighteen years and the Nell Holcomb R-IV School District for thirteen years.  Darryl was active in statewide organizations and committees, serving on the Missouri Commissioner of Education’s Advisory Committee for five years, serving as president of the Central Missouri Superintendents’ Association for one year, president of the Southeast Missouri Superintendents’ Association, the Missouri K-8 Association and the Missouri Association of Rural Education for two years each.  He also was honored with the Missouri K-8 Association President’s Award and Administrator of the Year Award, as well as, a nominee in 2017 for the Pearce Award as Outstanding Missouri Superintendent of Schools.  He has taught various administrative courses for William Woods University over the years and is currently working as a Specialist with the Southeast Regional Professional Development Center. He also serves as a mentor/coach for early career superintendents through the Missouri Association of School Administrators. Darryl received his BSE degree from Central Methodist University and his MS and Ed. Spec. degrees from the University of Missouri.

Darryl is married and has three children and four grandchildren.

Mrs. Mary Beth Scherer is a 34-year veteran of Missouri public schools with twenty-five years in administration.  She spent 17 years as the superintendent in the Concordia R-II School District.  She was active in Missouri Association of School Administrators at the regional and state level.  Serving as both president of the West Central Region and State MASA President. She also served as on the MARE Executive Committee.  She was honored in 2021 as the West Central Administrator’s Emeritus Educator.  She received her Bachelor’s, Master’s and Specialist degrees from University of Central Missouri.  She is adjunct faculty for the University of Central Missouri and works as a special education improvement consultant for the Central Regional Professional Development Center. 

She and her husband, John reside in Concordia and are the proud parents of two registered nurses.  She is the proud grandmother of two granddaughters, Jade and Camryn. 

Dr. Margret Anderson has 32 years of experience in education (not counting the 12 plus years she spent enrolled in school).  She began her teaching career as a math teacher, spent several years as principal in Excelsior Springs during which time the district passed a bond issue and built a new school. While completing her doctorate, she worked in the finance department.  She went on to serve as superintendent of three rural school districts, retiring from Knob Noster in 2011.  She joined MARE and conducted new board member training for ten plus years. Currently, she is happy to bring the experience of working with school boards to the search function of MARE.  When not working on her computer, she enjoys sunshine, shoe shopping and dog training. 

 

Dr. Jamie Burkhart has a passion for Missouri public schools, especially rural schools. She enjoyed a 29-year career as an educator, eighteen of those years being in administration. Jamie retired as superintendent of Green Ridge R-VIII Schools in 2023. Jamie served on numerous state level committees including Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) Executive Committee, Missouri Assessment Partnership (MOAP) Executive Committee, and DESE’s MSIP Advisory Committee and CSIP Review Committee. Jamie received the MASA New Superintendent of the Year award. She was nominated for Missouri Superintendent of the Year for her region, and was also nominee for the region’s Pearce Award. Dr. Burkhart earned her BSE and MSE from University of Central Missouri. She received her Ed. Spec. and Ed. D. degrees from Saint Louis University.  

In her retirement, Jamie works as Director of Women in Leadership for MASA, supporting female leaders in Missouri public schools. She is mom to six children and proud Mimi to seven grandchildren.