Born and raised in Nashville, Morton graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Speech Communications. She earned a master’s in Special Education from Eastern Kentucky University and her administrative certification from Western Kentucky University. More than half her career was spent teaching special education at J.R. Ewan Elementary. Morton has also served as a literacy specialist, professional staff administrator, and as principal at Ashland Elementary. At the district level, her other roles have included interim principal, area director, and principal coach mentor.

Dailey graduated from Midway College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Organizational Management. She began her career as attendance clerk at Bryan Station High School, where she created an attendance incentive program with community and business partners. She also served as bookkeeper/secretary at Arlington Elementary. Outside the district, Dailey worked as office manager for Perimeter Physical Therapy and as marketing director for the Dupree Financial Group. She returned to FCPS in 2007 as administrative assistant for the senior director of Equity, Community, and Family Engagement and subsequently moved into the superintendent’s office. Dailey is a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

A product of the Daviess County Public Schools, Chatfield received her B.A. at Washington University in St. Louis.  Upon graduation, she began work for U.S. Sen. Wendell H. Ford in Washington, D.C. After three years working in the United State Senate, Chatfield returned to Kentucky to attend and graduate from the University of Kentucky College of Law. She served as the first law clerk for the Honorable Jennifer Coffman and then joined the staff of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. She is a member of the Kentucky and Illinois bars. After living in various cities across the globe, including New York, Seattle, Chicago, and Brussels, Belgium, Chatfield returned to Kentucky to join the Bowling Green firm of English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, specializing in education law. In 2013, Chatfield was hired in her current position, as general counsel for Fayette County Public Schools. In 2016, Chatfield received the UK College of Law’s Professional Achievement Award. She is a past president of the Kentucky School Board Association’s Council of School Board Attorneys and was recently elected to the board of the National School Board Association’s Council of School Attorneys. To keep her sanity, she also teaches indoor cycling classes.

Thompson provides leadership, direction, and service to ensure district operations are effective, efficient, compliant, and supportive of schools and programs and adhere to the district’s core values and mission. He and his team plan and maintain schools and other facilities and provide transportation, nutritious meals, technology support, and other resources to provide safe and secure learning environments for students.

Thompson earned B.S. degrees from Eastern Kentucky University in Fire & Safety Engineering Technology and Insurance & Risk Management, and received his MBA from the University of Kentucky. He started his career as a safety and health compliance officer for the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. He later worked for the state school boards association as director of Risk Management and oversaw workers’ compensation, property and casualty insurance coverage, and business operations for marketing, underwriting, claims, and loss prevention. He has lobbied at the state level on operational issues and worked on policy and procedure development, implementation, and training for school districts. Thompson joined FCPS in 1995 as director of Risk Management & Safety. He has also served as the district’s health and wellness coordinator.  

FCPS tapped Koch as the acting chief financial officer effective July 1, 2021. Her career in state government began in 1976 and she worked for several agencies, including the Legislative Research Commission and the Office of Education Accountability (OEA). The bulk of her career, however, was with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), where she served as associate commissioner of District Support Services. In that capacity, Koch supported local school districts in the areas of finance, transportation, school and community nutrition, facilities, and data management. She also served on the board of the University of Kentucky’s School Financial Management Institute, was a member of the Kentucky Association of School Business Officials, and belonged to several national school finance organizations. After her retirement from KDE, Koch served as commissioner of finance for the Lexington- Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG). She was also chair of the Lexington Housing Authority for several years. Koch is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a lifetime member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association.

Scully has dedicated nearly 20 years to ensure effective delivery of outreach services in partnership with K-12 schools, colleges, and community organizations to support students and families in preparing for and accessing educational and workforce opportunities. Prior to accepting the role as interim Equity Officer, she served as District Family & Community Engagement coordinator with the FCPS Office of Equity, School Support, and Community Engagement. She previously served in various roles with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, University of Kentucky, and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

Scully earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Sociology and a master’s in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. She is a certified trainer in restorative practices and trauma-informed care for educators/school personnel. In addition to serving in various capacities in the community, Scully received Leadership Lexington’s 2019 Distinguished Leader Award.

McAnelly has been a classroom teacher, middle school principal, associate high school principal, and a consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education. At the University of Kentucky, she was a double-major in Political Science and History with an emphasis in Geography, and she earned her master’s in Secondary Education at Murray State. She received her Rank I in Administration and Supervision at UK and completed her doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership. 

McAnelly serves on the FCPS Certified Evaluation Committee, UK Middle Level College of Education Committee, and the EKU Education Preparation Advisory Committee. She has also participated in the Five Freedoms Leadership Academy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Common Assignment Pilot, the AdvancED review team, and the National Institute for School Leadership.

McMillin, who became high schools chief in July 2019, started his career as a biology teacher at Henry Clay High School. He served as an associate principal at Woodford County Middle School and Tates Creek Middle School before accepting the principal’s job at Bryan Station High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky and two master’s degrees – in curriculum and instruction from UK and in school leadership from Eastern Kentucky University.

Bruno started his career as a seventh grade geography teacher in Nashville, where he later served as an assistant principal at Two Rivers Middle School and Isaac Litton Middle School. He was also principal at Isaac Litton and at Woodford County Middle School in Central Kentucky. Bruno eared a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Kentucky, a master's in Social Studies Secondary Education from UK, and a master's in Administration and Supervision from Tennessee State University. He joined Fayette County Public Schools in July 2020.

Hutchison became a schools chief in July 2021 with 22 years of experience in education, having served most recently as principal of Picadome Elementary since 2011. Prior roles include curriculum coach at Picadome, professional staff assistant at Harrison Elementary, and special education teacher at Harrison. She holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education from the University of Kentucky, where she also completed a fifth-year program of study in learning and behavior disorders, a master’s degree in educational leadership studies, a Rank I and principal certification. She is pursuing her doctoral degree in educational leadership and organizational development at the University of Louisville.

Marshall joined FCPS as an elementary chief in July 2021 with 21 years of experience in education, having served most recently as the principal of Jefferson County Traditional Middle School since 2000. Her career working with students in grades kindergarten through eight also includes service as principal of Audubon Traditional Elementary, assistant principal of Klondike Lane Elementary, principal intern at Sanders and Roosevelt-Perry Elementary, school counselor at Shacklette Elementary and Highland Middle, and teacher at Shelby Elementary. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University, a master’s degree in school counseling from the University of Louisville, a Rank I in education administration from Western Kentucky University, and a doctoral degree in education and social change from Bellarmine University.

Smith holds an Education Specialist degree in Instructional Leadership, a master’s in Reading and Writing from the University of Kentucky, and a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Kentucky University. She began her career in public education as a fourth-grade teacher in Fayette County Public Schools in 1998. Before accepting the position of chief of elementary schools, she was a principal at Ashland Elementary from 2013-17. Smith also served as a principal in Clark County for three years, from 2010-13.  Other experience includes serving as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery specialist, and instructional coach.  Before working in the public school system, Smith was a childcare teacher and center director for 13 years in the corporate and nonprofit sectors.

Most recently, Thompson was director of Student Support Services for FCPS. Before joining the district in 2013, she served as a high school associate principal and Freshman Academy principal at a turnaround school, a middle school associate principal, a Kentucky Department of Education branch manager, and a high school Social Studies teacher and department chair. A Lexington native, Thompson earned a B.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education from Kentucky State University, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and her Educational Leadership: Principal and Superintendent Certification from the University of Kentucky. 

Hayden, who became interim director of school improvement in spring 2021, began his career as a Physics/Physical Science teacher at Lafayette High School. He has served as the dean of students at Lafayette, administrative dean at Carter G. Woodson Academy, IT Academy principal at Bryan Station High School, and principal on special assignment for Fayette County Public Schools. In addition to supervising Career and Technical Education for the district, Hayden is the director of the Grants, Research, Accountability, & Data Department. He earned a degree in Physics teaching and a minor in Mathematics from Eastern Kentucky University and a master's degree in School Supervision and Administration from the University of Kentucky.

Adams provides leadership and oversight for colleagues coordinating services under Pupil Personnel, guidance counseling, social work, Family Resource and Youth Services Centers (FRYSC), extended school services, mental health services, and the district’s crisis response team, to name a few. He has also served FCPS as a FRYSC coordinator, child guidance specialist, head teacher, school social worker, assistant director of Pupil Personnel, and Project AWARE grant manager.

Adams earned a bachelor's degree in Family Studies and minor in Musical Performance from the University of Kentucky, a master's in Social Work from the University of Louisville, a Master of Arts in Special Education, LBD, P-12 from Georgetown University, and a Master of Arts in Instructional Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands. He is a certified school social worker, certified DPP, and certified supervisor of instruction; he is also provisionally certified for Instructional Leadership. Adams has taught in UK's College of Social Work graduate program since 2005. In addition, he works part-time providing clinical services. He is also certified as a youth mental health first aid instructor. Notably, he was honored in 2001 as Kentucky’s School Social Worker of the Year. 

Dyar has worked in education in Central Kentucky as a teacher, principal, associate director, and now director of Human Resources in FCPS. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky, a master’s in Education from Georgetown College, and a master’s in School Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. She also earned the Senior Professional Human Resource Certification in 2009. Dyar is an active member of various local, state, and national chapters of school business leaders and HR manager affiliations, and she received the FCPS Outstanding Service Award in 2010.  

Deffendall, the daughter of two retired public school principals, grew up in Hawaii believing that education is the key to changing the world. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University, she taught science and math in New Orleans and rural Louisiana for four years as a Teach for America corps member and then went back to school to earn her certification in secondary mathematics.

After inadvertently insulting a local editor about the newspaper’s education coverage, Deffendall was hired to cover public schools in 1996. She spent the next nine years covering K-12 education for newspapers in Houma, Louisiana; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and here in Lexington, and garnered multiple awards for her hard-hitting investigative coverage. In 2004, she joined FCPS with a directive to bring transparency to school district communications. Since then, the district has received state and national accolades for its communication efforts.