John Mancinelli has been named the new academic director for the Washington State University Tri-Cities College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences (CESHS).

Mancinelli began his new role Aug. 1. He most recently served as field services director for the WSU Tri-Cities CESHS, where he collaborated with 23 school districts across one-third of the state to facilitate 300 to 350 teacher placements annually.

“John Mancinelli’s appointment as academic director marks an exciting new chapter for the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences,” said Kate McAteer, vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. “Over the past decade, John has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to supporting our students, faculty and programs. I am confident he will continue to advance our mission of preparing outstanding educators and fostering academic and research excellence in the college.”

Mancinelli has served as a teacher and administrator in public K-12 and university systems for the past 30 years. He joined WSU Tri-Cities in 2015, serving as chief of staff for two chancellors and as a faculty member in the Educational Leadership and Teaching and Learning departments.

His research focuses on the development of principals and teachers, as well as education policy related to building academic capacity, sustainability and resilience in educators.

Throughout his career, Mancinelli has been recognized for his commitment to continuous improvement through genuine collaboration and his ability to create meaningful connections between theory and practice for his students.

As academic director, Mancinelli’s top priorities will be supporting faculty research, preparing students and addressing the teaching and leadership needs of regional school districts.

“I’m honored to step into this role and excited to build on the strong foundation already in place,” said Mancinelli. “My focus will be on creating opportunities that empower our faculty to pursue impactful research, preparing our students to become exceptional educators and leaders, and strengthening our partnerships with regional school districts so we can meet their evolving needs together.”

Mancinelli succeeds Judy Morrison, who retired after a 22-year career at WSU Tri-Cities, including the past 10 years as academic director for the College of Education.