Division Superintendent
Email Dr. Lori Harper
804-561-2621

Dr. Lori Harper has worked in the field of education for over 37 years and is currently serving as Superintendent of Amelia County Public Schools in south central Virginia. She has devoted her career to enhancing organizations that serve children. Her numerous career experiences have frequently involved transforming existing programs, creating organizational systems, or initiating new programs.

     As a young adult and undergraduate student majoring in psychology, elementary education,  and minoring in early childhood education, Dr. Harper achieved highest honors in psychology and was awarded the Friehofer Award in Psychology for her research on early peer interactions. She was also recognized with the American Association of University Women Award in Education. Early in her career, Dr. Harper was an elementary teacher working in both public and private schools as she and her family made many moves affiliated with the United States Air Force.

     Each move of duty station brought opportunities. In the Netherlands, Dr. Harper worked for the Department of Defense in early childhood programs and in training and curriculum development. She initiated new programs and enhanced existing programs earning her a Civil Service Outstanding Performance Award. Dr. Harper then moved to Edwards, California where she opened a new program for NASA Dryden earning her a NASA Group Achievement Award. Following several moves with public and private sector teaching and administrative positions, Dr. Harper settled in Virginia in 2002.

    Dr. Harper has experienced Virginia public education as a teacher, assistant principal, elementary principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. She has worked in a National Blue-Ribbon school as well as with schools in improvement. As superintendent, Dr. Harper received an Award for Excellence as a member of the first cohort of the Virginia Superintendent’s Leadership Academy, and currently serves as a Senior Executive Coach for VASS. During her tenure, Amelia County Public Schools has received recognition as one of 12 schools in Virginia Living’s Top Schools in 2022, as one of the Niche.com top 10 districts in the Richmond area for 2023, and recognition for Amelia County High School as one of the top 100 W!SE schools in the nation.

    Dr. Harper has been affiliated with the Virginia Federal Education Program Administrator’s (VAFEPA) board, the Advisory Council for the Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School, the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School Steering Committee, the Code RVA Steering Committee, the Governor’s School of Southside Virginia, the Amelia-Nottoway Technical Center as Executive Superintendent, the Virginia ESL Supervisor’s Association (VESA), the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the Virginia School Consortium for Learning (VaSCL), the School University Research Network (SURN), the UVA K-12 Advisory Committee, the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS), and the Women Education Leaders in Virginia (WELV).