The Kodiak Island Borough School District Board of Education is pleased to announce they have selected three individuals as finalists in the search for a new Superintendent.
The Board elected to conduct a nationwide search and contracted with the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) to facilitate the process. The Board reviewed and compared twenty-one applicants and has chosen the following candidates as finalists for on-site interviews:
● Dr. Daniel Brigman. Dr. Brigman most recently served as Superintendent of Avery County Schools in North Carolina, where he led the district from 2020 to 2024. He brings more than two decades of superintendent experience, having previously served in school systems in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. Over the course of his career, Dr. Brigman has led districts ranging from small rural systems to larger regional districts, with a focus on organizational leadership, school safety, and strategic planning. He holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University.
● Kim Hanisch. Ms. Hanisch has served as the Superintendent of Unalaska City School District since 2023. Her career in education includes ten years as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Alaska Southeast where she taught Educational Leadership courses to aspiring administrators in Alaska. She was also the Director of Instruction at KIBSD from 2016 to 2019. Kim has a Masters of Art in Biology from Bemidji State University, and holds an Alaska Administrator Certificate with a Superintendent Endorsement.
● Dr. Miranda Bacha. Dr. Bacha is the Principal/Assistant Director of Instruction and Housing at Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka, Alaska, where she has served since 2020. Dr. Bacha has experience as a Principal in Southwest Region School District and a math teacher at Kodiak High School. Last fall, she was recognized by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals as Principal of the Year for Region V. Dr. Bacha holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching from Nova Southeastern University. She also holds an Alaska Administrator Certificate with a Superintendent Endorsement.
The finalists have been invited to Kodiak for community engagement opportunities on January 22 and interviews with the Board on January 23.
The Board intends to announce its choice of a new superintendent following final deliberations on January 23, 2026. The new superintendent is expected to begin July 1, 2026.