Rhonda Schuhler has spent the past 32 years in public education in North Carolina, both at the school and district levels. She has served as an elementary classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal. At the district level, she has provided leadership in a variety of roles, including director in human resources, director of professional development and innovation, executive director of K-12 curriculum and instruction, and assistant and associate superintendent. She led Franklin County Schools as superintendent for the past eight years, retiring from this role effective January 2026.

During her tenure as superintendent, Dr. Schuhler served as president of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) and the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD). She served on the executive boards of the North Carolina School Superintendents Association (NCSSA) and NCASA and chaired the Board of Directors for the Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance (CCRESA). She spearheaded and facilitated the female superintendents’ “Women in the Lead” cohort through NCSSA. She recently chaired the statewide “Champion Our Local Public Schools” campaign on behalf of NCASA, focused on promoting public schools as the best choice for families in North Carolina.

Dr. Schuhler is actively involved in her community, serving as a past member of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Franklin County and as chair of the education committee for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. 

At the March 2026 annual NCASA conference, Dr. Schuhler received the Raymond Sarbaugh Award, recognizing outstanding leadership in public school service and a commitment to enhancing and supporting efforts by fellow administrators and educators. In the spring of 2023, she was named CCRESA (Region 3) Superintendent of the Year.  In 2020, she received the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award through the NCSSA’s Next Generation Superintendent Development Program (NGSDP). Dr. Schuhler has served for the past five years as a thought partner and presenter for the Aspiring Superintendents Program through NCSSA. 

Rhonda holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University, a Master of School Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an Ed.S. and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations from UNC-Greensboro.