2018 Educator of the Year

Dr. Michael Cormack Jr. came to the Magnolia State as program director and manager for Teach For America.  

Now, almost 15 years later, he is the CEO of the Barksdale Reading Institute. He sets the direction for the Institute and also oversees Mississippi Building Blocks, a program that provides coaching and technical assistance to child care centers throughout Mississippi.

Before joining the Institute, Dr. Cormack served as an elementary principal at Quitman County Elementary School, which at the time was labeled “at risk of failing.” The Portland, Oregon, native helped lead the school to a “successful” status and was recognized as a “Champion of Change” by the Mississippi Department of Education. 

Dr. Cormack earned a bachelor’s from Boston College, a master’s in elementary education from Delta State University, a master’s in organizational leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a doctorate in education leadership and policy studies at Vanderbilt University. 

Dr. Cormack and wife Krystal are the parents of three young children, Kennedy, Madison, and Maxwell.