Northwest Education Services (North Ed) will host two community open houses as the search for its next superintendent continues.

North Ed’s Board of Education has invited Dr. Tara Mager and Stephanie O’Dea for second-round interviews to take place March 18-19. The board hopes to make a final selection this spring, allowing the new superintendent to start July 1.

In addition to the second-round interviews with the board, which are open to the public, the candidates will also participate in separate open houses for discussions with community members. The schedule is as follows:

March 18, 2025: Dr. Tara Mager
● 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Community Open House
● 5:30 p.m. Interview at Special Board of Education Meeting
March 19, 2025: Stephanie O’Dea
● 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Community Open House
● 5:30 p.m. Interview at Special Board of Education Meeting

All events will take place at North Ed’s Arnell Administration Conference Center, 1101 Red
Drive, Traverse City.

Stephanie O’Dea is currently the Director of Instructional Systems at the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA), and recently served as senior education adviser to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Dr. Tara Mager is currently Superintendent at Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service
District, and has 20 years of experience working in public education including as superintendent
at a local school district.

Current North Ed Superintendent Dr. Nick Ceglarek is retiring after being hired for the role in
2017. Prior to starting at North Ed, Ceglarek served as superintendent at Hudsonville Public
Schools, Fruitport Community Schools and Baldwin Community Schools. He began his career in
education as a math teacher at Rockford Public Schools.

Northwest Education Services supports 20,000 students and more than 30 school districts across
the five counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau. As the intermediate
school district, it provides early childhood services, special education and vocational education
programming for students, professional development for educators and various support services
for districts.