Patrice Pujol is the superintendent of schools for the Ascension Parish public school system in Louisiana. An educator for 35 years, she has long been at the forefront of school and district improvement efforts. Pujol was the principal of St. Amant High School, where she used innovative scheduling models to drive improved teaching and learning. She has initiated and implemented such innovations as an instructional coach program, a district-wide curriculum framework with benchmark assessments, and a leadership assessment and development program. Most recently she has worked with her leadership team to create a Turnaround Zone to concentrate support on the lowest-performing schools in the district. Her focus throughout her career has been on improving teaching and learning processes throughout the school system to assure that students receive a rigorous education to prepare them to compete in the global economy.