The Macon County School System is proud to announce two transformative leadership appointments for the 2026–2027 school year. Dr. Mesha Mathis has been named Assistant Superintendent of Student Affairs, and Dr. Suzan Harris has been appointed Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, bringing a combined wealth of experience, scholarship, and proven results that will directly benefit the students and families of Macon County. Dr. Mathis brings more than 21 years in education and over a decade of central office leadership, with expertise at the intersection of education and law. Holding a Doctorate in Professional Counseling, a Master’s degree in School Counseling, a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Law/Political Science, and Educational Leadership certification, Dr. Mathis has a distinguished record as a change agent in districts facing significant challenges. Most notably, while serving in Bibb County, she helped lead a school zone from the lowest graduation rate in the district to the highest within a single academic year through intentional use of attendance, behavior, and course-completion data; and upon joining her most recent rural district — where all schools were identified for comprehensive support and the district carried a disproportionality designation — she led the targeted systems improvements that resulted in removal from both designations. In her new role, Dr. Mathis will oversee counselors, social workers, Title I specialists, attendance personnel, McKinney-Vento services, foster care support, and districtwide student intervention teams, ensuring legally sound and student-centered systems that protect the district while advancing outcomes for children and families. Joining her is Dr. Suzan Harris, who brings nearly two decades of K–12 experience as a teacher, school leader, and district leader, along with a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. Dr. Harris has earned national and state recognition for her instructional leadership, including the 2025 GAEL Jim Puckett Award, the 2023 GASSP Middle School Principal of the Year honor, and recognition for leading Henderson Middle School in Butts County to become a 2024 and 2025 GADOE Math Leader School. She is also a published author whose scholarship on leadership behaviors, professional learning structures, and school culture bridges research and practice. Currently serving on the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals Executive Board as Second Vice President and having recently completed a term on the NASSP Board, Dr. Harris brings both local insight and national strategic perspective to her role shaping teaching and learning across Macon County. Together, Dr. Mathis and Dr. Harris represent the Macon County School System’s deep commitment to equitable, high-quality education for every student.
Dr. Mesha Mathis, Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Suzan Harris, Executive Director of Teaching & Learning