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Taking the loneliness out of leadership
By Andrea K. Rorrer, Cori Groth, Kody Colvin, Lexi Cunningham, Sarah Jarnagin and Christine Christensen
October 2025
Leadership is often described as lonely work. Today’s leaders have demanding, high-stakes responsibilities yet lack the peer connection and high-quality professional learning they need to address those challenges. Leaders’ professional learning frequently occurs in isolation from their peers with similar experiences, and it is often confined to a one-size-fits-all format for multiple roles that fails to reflect the complexity of their leadership work. Many common learning opportunities — such as book studies on topics chosen by someone else, general topic overviews tacked onto districtwide meetings, or mandatory training on new policy or compliance issues — are top-down, passive, compliance-oriented, or sit-and-get events that lack relevance or depth. Leaders need the opposite of such experiences: They need meaningful growth opportunities to learn with and from each
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References
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Andrea Rorrer (andrea.rorrer@utah.edu) is a Professor at the University of Utah Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and Director of the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC). The UEPC’s mission is to bridge research, policy, and practice by conducting rigorous and comprehensive research and evaluations, and providing expert and research-informed technical assistance and professional learning. Through its partnerships with educators, policymakers, and communities, the UEPC ensures that its work translates into actionable insights that drive improvement and lasting impact.
Cori Groth, Ph.D., is Associate Director of the Utah Education Policy Center at the University of Utah, where she partners with schools, districts, and state agencies to strengthen leadership and drive evidence-informed improvement. With nearly two decades of experience in educational evaluation, school and district improvement, and leadership development, Cori is committed to translating research into meaningful insights and practices that help educators achieve excellent outcomes for all students.
Kody Colvin, Ed.D., is the School and District Lead Specialist at the Utah Education Policy Center, where he partners with schools, districts, and organizations to strengthen leadership, professional learning, and improvement efforts. His work centers on building educator capacity through research-informed frameworks, collaborative networks, and equity-focused practices. He has published and presented nationally on professional learning, systems thinking and design, and instructional leadership.
Lexi Cunningham, Ed.D, is the Executive Director of the Utah School Superintendents Association and the Associate Executive Director of the Utah School Boards Association. She supports superintendents and school board members throughout the state of Utah. Lexi has over 30 years of experience in public education as a teacher, principal and superintendent in both Arizona and Utah. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University, an M.A. in Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Southern Methodist University.
Dr. Sarah Jarnagin serves as the Stansbury Area Director for the Tooele County School District. She holds degrees in education and leadership from McNeese State University and Sam Houston State University, and has received multiple honors, including Regional Principal of the Year, Panasonic School Change recipient, and the Bruce Gourley Administrator of the Year Award. Her professional experience spans university instruction, district leadership, and campus administration, complemented by personal interests in outdoor activities, cooking, and collegiate athletics.
Christine Christensen is the Director of Community Schools for Granite School District and a former elementary principal. She focuses on building partnerships, equity, and collaborative systems that expand opportunities for students and families. A doctoral candidate at the University of Utah, her research centers on principal professional learning and leadership coaching to strengthen school and community impact and improve outcomes for students.
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