President-Elect

Derek Bell

School: Sweeney Elementary

Where: Shakopee, MN 

Division: South Suburban

Past MESPA Leadership Positions

• Negotiations Committee Chair (2016-present)
• Board of Directors Member (2016-present)

What is your vision for the position of President-Elect, and how do you plan to bring this vision to fruition during your term?

My vision is for MESPA to be an organization where every principal feels that they have a voice and that they belong. I want us to be both a strong advocate for principals and a professional community where leaders can learn from and support one another.

During my term, I would focus on three things: listen, advocate, and connect. I want to listen to principals across Minnesota to understand what they need from their professional association. I want to advocate strongly on the issues that impact our schools and our ability to lead them effectively. And I want to create more opportunities for principals to connect and learn from each other.

When I was an early career principal in a small district, I felt like I was on an island. If it wasn't for MESPA, I would not be where I am today. Through different site visits and connections with MESPA members, I was able to learn and grow as a leader much faster.

How do you envision your role on the board as ensuring representation and inclusivity for all MESPA members?

I see representation as being about more than demographics. MESPA members have different racial and cultural backgrounds, but they also lead schools in very different communities and circumstances. A principal in a rural district, an urban district, or a growing suburban district may experience the same issue very differently.

My role would be to make sure MESPA understands and considers those different experiences before we make decisions or advocate on behalf of our members. I would intentionally seek out voices that aren't always at the table and make sure they have opportunities to influence the work of the organization.

What past professional experiences have uniquely prepared you for a leadership role on the MESPA board of directors?

I been a principal and have served on the leadership team at MESPA for more than 14 years (10 years as the Negotiations Committee Chair). I have served as the lead negotiator for two different school districts (Cannon Falls & Shakopee). I have also taken on leadership roles within my districts.

I have attended the MESPA leadership retreat every year for the past 14 years. I know and understand what it takes to set the tone for the school year and to engage the leaders around the state.

What key issues affecting principals and schools would you prioritize when engaging with legislators on behalf of MESPA?

Student behavior and K-3 discipline, sustainable school funding, student & staff mental health

What steps will you take to foster collaboration and build strong relationships among all MESPA members?

I believe collaboration begins with listening and relationships. My first step would be to intentionally listen to MESPA members across the state and learn more about the unique challenges they are facing. I would then create more opportunities for members to connect regionally, virtually, and through groups focused on common challenges.

I also think it is important to connect principals who may not normally have opportunities to work together. Rural, suburban, and urban principals—and leaders from districts of all sizes—can learn a tremendous amount from one another.

Finally, I would prioritize communication and follow-through. Members need to know that when they share an idea or concern, it is heard and acted upon when possible. I want MESPA to be an organization where principals feel connected to one another, feel that their voice matters, and know that we are stronger when we advocate and learn together.

Logan Schultz

School: Echo Park

Where: Burnsville, MN

Division: South Suburban

Past MESPA Leadership Positions

• MESPA Fellow (2025-current)
• Facilitator, Elevate (2025 and 2026)
• MESPA Institute Breakout Speaker (2026)
• Presenter, Facilitator, Aspiring Leaders at MESPA Institute (2026)
• Facilitator, Managing to Lead (2025 and 2026)

What is your vision for the position of President-Elect, and how do you plan to bring this vision to fruition during your term?

My vision as a member of the MESPA Executive Team is to help strengthen MESPA as an organization where every principal feels connected, represented, supported, and proud of the work we do. Principals are navigating increasingly complex instructional, operational, staffing, and community challenges, but there is also tremendous good happening in our schools every day. I want to help MESPA elevate those stories and elevate the role of the principal across Minnesota.

I believe one of MESPA’s greatest strengths is our diversity of experiences. Rural, suburban, and urban principals; leaders of large and small schools; principals in large and small districts; STEM schools, community schools, magnet schools, and everything in between all bring important perspectives. My goal is to help bring those voices together and be a strong advocate for all elementary principals.

I would do this by listening intentionally across regions, elevating member perspectives at the board level, and using my experience in professional learning, systems-building, mentoring, and advocacy to strengthen the connection between MESPA’s statewide work and the daily realities of school leadership.

How do you envision your role on the board as ensuring representation and inclusivity for all MESPA members?

I see my role on the MESPA Board as both representing members and creating pathways for members to be heard. True representation requires intentionally listening beyond the voices that are already connected and engaged and making sure principals from every region, school type, district size, and community see themselves reflected in MESPA’s work.

My leadership experiences have reinforced the importance of seeking multiple perspectives before making decisions. At Echo Park, I lead a diverse school community where listening to staff, families, students, and community partners is essential to building systems that work for everyone. Through the MESPA fellowship, being on district negotiations, leading professional learning, and mentoring other administrators, I have also learned that principals often face very different challenges depending on their context.

As a board member, I would intentionally build relationships across MESPA’s regions, listen for both common themes and unique needs, and bring those perspectives forward. I want rural, suburban, and urban principals, along with leaders from large schools, small schools, magnet schools, community schools, and everything in between, to know that their experience matters and we are ONE MESPA. My goal would be to help MESPA remain a place where every elementary principal feels represented, valued, and connected.

What past professional experiences have uniquely prepared you for a leadership role on the MESPA board of directors?

My professional experiences have prepared me to lead from both a building-level perspective and a broader systems lens. As principal of Echo Park, a diverse Title I magnet school, I have led through the instructional, operational, staffing, family, and community challenges principals navigate every day. Our work has earned national recognition, including the Magnet Schools of America President’s Award as the third-best K-12 magnet school in the country, reinforcing for me what is possible when strong systems, shared leadership, and a clear vision come together.

Beyond my building, I have intentionally sought opportunities to learn from and advocate alongside other leaders. My experiences as a MESPA Fellow, president of my local principals’ association, member of our district negotiations team, participant on district budget and legislative advisory councils, and attending the School Leader Paradigm symposium in Philadelphia as a fellow have broadened my perspective on school leadership.

These experiences have taught me to listen, build consensus, advocate confidently, and turn ideas into action. I would bring that perspective to the MESPA Board while working to strengthen MESPA and elevate the voices of elementary principals, assistant principals, and aspiring leaders across Minnesota.

What key issues affecting principals and schools would you prioritize when engaging with legislators on behalf of MESPA?

When engaging with legislators, I would prioritize budget sustainability, funding alignment, and policies that recognize the growing complexity of leading Minnesota schools. Expectations for schools continue to expand, and I believe state funding must be predictable, sustainable, and aligned with the mandates we are asked to implement.

Equity must also be central to that conversation. A student’s access to strong programming, staffing, facilities, and support should not depend on their ZIP code or a community’s ability to pass a local levy or referendum. Rural, suburban, and urban districts face different financial realities, and our funding system should account for those differences.

I would also advocate for protecting special education funding, addressing cross-subsidies, fully funding implementation of initiatives such as the READ Act, supporting school safety and mental health, and reducing unnecessary administrative burden on school leaders.

My experience as a principal and on district budget and legislative advisory councils has shown me how policy decisions translate into school-level realities. I would bring that lens to the Capitol, ensuring legislators hear not only what schools need, but how decisions ultimately impact students, staff, and principals across Minnesota.

What steps will you take to foster collaboration and build strong relationships among all MESPA members?

Strong collaboration starts with relationships. I would intentionally create opportunities to listen, connect, and learn from MESPA members across regions, recognizing that our experiences may look different while our commitment to students and schools brings us together.

I would prioritize being visible and accessible to members, seeking feedback beyond those already highly engaged in MESPA, and creating opportunities for principals to share both challenges and successes. Additionally, I would continue to strengthen our already strong systems to encourage and build capacity in our aspiring leaders and assistant principals. Whether someone leads or aspires in a rural, suburban, or urban community, a large or small district, or a specialized or neighborhood school, I want members to know their perspective matters.

My experiences through the MESPA Fellowship, principal association leadership, mentoring administrators, and facilitating professional learning have shown me that some of the best leadership development happens when principals learn directly from one another. I would work to strengthen those connections and help elevate the tremendous good happening in Minnesota schools.

Ultimately, I want to continue the momentum of MESPA where relationships extend beyond geography and school context, where members celebrate and support one another, and where every elementary leader feels connected to a statewide professional community.