PDK International Board of Directors Names Dr. John Ramos, Sr. Transitional CEO
CEO Search to Begin

Arlington, VA—June 30, 2025— The PDK International (PDK) board of directors is announcing that Dr. John Ramos, Sr. began leadership with PDK/Educators Rising as its transitional chief executive officer after the recent departure of Dr. James F. Lane.

Dr. Ramos is a recognized education trailblazer and will serve while the PDK board of directors engages in a national search for a new chief executive officer.

Dr. Ramos brings experience as a high school principal, a deputy state commissioner in Connecticut, and as Superintendent of Schools in Bridgeport, Connecticut; Groton, Connecticut; Watertown, Connecticut; and South Orange, New Jersey. Dr. Ramos has also served as an international consultant in South Africa and Qatar. He holds degrees from Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, and Teachers College at Columbia University.

Dr. Ramos began his tenure by participating in the 2025 Educators Rising National Conference held June 26-29 in Orlando, Florida. The conference brought together nearly 3,500 future educators and their teacher leaders for competitions, learning, and networking.

Dr. Lane served as chief executive officer since July 2023. During Lane’s tenure, he led the organization through a period of significant growth and leaves it well-positioned for future success. This included the development of new partnerships allowing PDK International to grow its Educators Rising career and technical student organization.

Board chairperson Dr. Katharine Oliver shared her appreciation and optimism for the future: “We are grateful to Dr. Lane for his dedicated leadership and the impact he made during his time with us. As we begin the search for our next CEO, we are excited about the leadership from Dr. Ramos, another visionary leader who will guide PDK International and Educators Rising into its next chapter.”

PDK will utilize the firm Isaacson, Miller to facilitate its CEO search.

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About PDK International
Established in 1906, PDK International supports P-20 educators, researchers, and policy makers by strengthening their commitment to the profession throughout the entire arc of their careers. We are committed to elevating the profession through the intersection of research and practice. Through our core values of community, leadership, service, optimism, and excellence, we encourage educators and stakeholders to elevate the discourse and change the narrative around teaching and learning to ensure that every student has a high-quality education. www.pdkintl.org

About Educators Rising
In 2015, PDK International – in its 115-year commitment to the profession of education – launched Educators Rising, formerly the Future Educators Association (FEA). Today, Educators Rising is cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers. By working with aspiring educators who reflect the demographics of their communities and who are passionate about serving those communities through public education, Educators Rising is changing the face of teaching. educatorsrising.org