 Phillip J. WilliamsDeputy County Superintendent
(530) 745-1389
Email
| Phillip J. Williams is the Deputy County Superintendent and has worked for the Placer County Office of Education since July of 2009.
Mr. Williams began his teaching career working with Emotionally Disturbed students for the Placer Union High School District and continued working with this population until 2002. Additionally, he served as the Director of Student Services for Linden Unified School District and Roseville City School District. Mr. Williams holds a Master of Arts in Special Education from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Science from California State University, San Luis Obispo. Mr. Williams is a Placer County resident and has made it his home since 1992.
He believes deeply in the community and is driven to provide the best educational experience possible for all students in Placer County.
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 Susan Connolly-FoxAssociate Superintendent
Student Services
(530) 754-1440
Email
| Susan Connolly-Fox is the Associate Superintendent of Student Services and has worked for the Placer County Office of Education since 1997. Ms.
Connolly-Fox began her teaching career working with students with special
needs for the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Additionally, she
worked in a non-public school setting before accepting a position
teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorders for the Placer County
Office of Education.
Ms.
Connolly-Fox also served as a Special Education Coordinator and the
Director of Alternative Education before her current position
overseeing Student Services. Ms. Connolly-Fox holds a Master of Arts in
Special Education from National University and a Bachelor of Science in
Geography from California State University, Stanislaus.
Ms.
Connolly-Fox is a Placer County resident and has made it her home since
1995. Ms. Connolly strives to develop and sustain innovative, high-quality educational programs to meet the diverse needs of students in
our community.
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 Jennifer HicksAssociate Superintendent
Educational Services
(530) 745-1492
Email
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Jennifer Hicks is the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services and began working for the Placer County Office of Education in 2011. Ms. Hicks oversees the Early Learning, Educational Innovation and Support and Leadership and Learning Collaborative departments at PCOE. Ms. Hicks previously served as the Director, Professional Development, Executive Director and Assistant Superintendent Curriculum and Instruction. Prior to joining PCOE, Ms. Hicks was the Coordinator, Educational Services for Washington Unified School District, Service Learning Grant Manager for Rocklin Unified School District and a kindergarten-second grade teacher. Ms. Hicks holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento and Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Walden University. She currently serves as a Commissioner for both First 5 Placer and is the Vice Chair of the California State Board of Education Instructional Quality Commission. Ms. Hicks is the Past Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) for the California County Superintendents. Ms. Hicks has served on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Board of Institutional Review. In 2014, Ms. Hicks was selected as the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Placer County Charter and Region 2 Administrator of the Year for Curriculum and Instruction. She is a 2022 California County Superintendents Star Award Recipient. Ms. Hicks is a WestEd Equity Accelerator Fellow and has a passion for ensuring equity and creating sustainable systems change. She is a Placer County resident and her children graduated from Placer County Schools.
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Roger Van PuttenAssociate Superintendent
Business Services
(530) 889-5920
Email
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Roger Van Putten serves as the Associate Superintendent of Business Services for the Placer County Office of Education. He brings more than 29 years of experience in school business leadership with the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District where he held increasing responsible roles and was appointed Chief Business Officer in 2013. Under his financial leadership, the district maintained a fiscally sound, transparent and future-focused financial program. Mr. Van Putten currently serves on the Finance Subcommittee for the School Insurance Group (SIG) and is a board member of the Schools Reinsurance Group. His previous county-wide service includes membership on the Program Business Review Committee and Special Education Funding Committees. He was honored as the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Placer County Charter and Region 2 Business Services Administrator of the Year in 2012. He holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from California State University, Chico. Deeply rooted in public education, Roger's family shares his passion—his wife is a school counselor, and both of his daughters, graduates of Placer County schools, are now educators themselves. Outside of work, he enjoys cycling and boating with his family. Roger Van Putten's career has been defined by his dedication to public education, strong financial stewardship, and a collaborative approach to leadership. |
 Troy TickleAssistant Superintendent
SELPA
(530) 886-5873
Email
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Troy Tickle is the Assistant Superintendent of the Placer County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and has worked for the Placer County Office of Education since July 2016. Mr. Tickle has a rich background in serving children on the autism spectrum and began his educational career working as a speech pathologist for Panama-Buena Vista Union School district in 1999 in Kern County. During this time, he also served as the Kern County Consortium SELPA Coordinator and served as the President of Kern Assistive Technology Center, a non-profit agency serving the technology needs of disabled children. Mr. Tickle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Iowa State University and a second Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders from Northern Iowa University. He also holds a Master of Arts in Speech Pathology from Northern Iowa University. Mr. Tickle’s vision is for all children to have equal access to education in the least restrictive environment and that all children have a rich and fulfilling educational experience in Placer County schools.
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 Michelle EklundChief Communications Officer
(530) 889-5913
Email
| Michelle Eklund is the Chief Communications Officer and began working for the Placer County Office of Education in March 2019. Ms. Eklund is a national award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, brand management, online community engagement, publication production, design and marketing in a variety of industries ranging from travel and tourism, healthcare, leadership development and education. She previously supported the largest children's advocacy association, California State PTA, as the Assistant Executive Director working to drive improvements in the education, health and well-being of all children and families. Ms. Eklund earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a member of several professional groups including the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA), National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO).
In 2021, Ms. Eklund received the "California Gold" award from CalSPRA, and in 2024 she was honored as the Classified Leader of the Year from the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Placer County Charter. Her work has also been recognized nationally, having been awarded a Golden Achievement Award for the "Yours in Education" YouTube series.
Ms. Eklund resides in Placer County and is committed to showcasing the positive impact public education has on all children and families in Placer County.
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