Prior to following his dream of helping educators and students across the country as a speaker and Education Innovation Advisor at PowerSchool, Dr. Hughes served as a Superintendent of Schools for over 10 years at school districts ranging in size from 360 to 5,000 students, rural to suburban. In each district, Rich led the creation of strategic plans to target curriculum, instruction, technology, social emotional learning, and facilities. Student achievement and educational opportunities significantly improved under his leadership in each of his school districts. He has been responsible for close to $200 million in capital projects already in his career. In recognition of his professional achievements, he was named 2017 Superintendent of the Year by the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education and selected as a Lexington Education Leadership Award Fellow in 2015. He maintains membership in a number of professional organizations, including the National Society of Leadership and Success, Learning Forward, ISTE, and ASCD. Outside of work, he is an avid martial arts practitioner, earning a black belt in two different styles.