Dr. Aaron Allen, superintendent of Lincoln County Schools, is the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award, according to a press release from the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA).
The award is presented to a graduate of the NCSSA’s superintendent executive leadership development program who demonstrates a “strong commitment to lifelong learning, unwavering integrity in leadership, and transformation of vision into action,” the release says.
“I am extremely humbled and surprised to have received this recognition,” said Allen. “Lincoln County has allowed me to vision, dream, and take bold steps toward leading with growth and possibilities in mind. Our Board of Education has supported our team throughout the years to allow calculated risks to pay off for our students. Our District staff are second to none and compliment each other well and always seek what is best for kids first. I am fortunate to be able to lead this school system.”
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Recipients of the award also display leadership resulting in the development and implementation of innovative programs or projects for students, according to the press release. This year, Allen was selected by former Brad Sneeden Leadership Award recipients.
“He exemplifies the traits that guided Dr. Brad Sneeden’s career in educational leadership,” said Jack Hoke, NCSSA executive director. “He has demonstrated a vision for Lincoln County Schools as an educational innovator and a strong commitment to continuous improvement and the highest standards of ethical conduct. He is a very deserving recipient of this award.”
Allen served as interim superintendent from October 2020 until the Board made his position permanent in February 2021. He had formerly served as the district’s associate superintendent of schools.
“Dr. Allen embodies a rare combination of vision, heart, and courage, consistently championing bold initiatives while ensuring every decision is grounded in the best interests of our students and staff,” said Christina H. Sutton, chairperson of the district’s Board of Education. “The culture of Lincoln County Schools has been transformed through Dr. Allen’s unwavering commitment to cultivating the leadership potential at every level of our school community, beginning with the earliest learners to the dedicated staff that fosters their success.”
The award is named after Dr. Brad Sneeden, who served as Carteret County Schools Superintendent at the time of his death in October 2008 at the age of 56. Sneeden’s innovations included the establishment of the Marine Science Academy, which provides students with a hands-on marine science education.
“Previously, Dr. Sneeden served as the Associate Vice-President for Leadership Development and Director of the Principals’ Executive Program, the Deputy State Superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education, an adjunct professor with the Department of Educational Leadership, and Director of the Office of School Services at East Carolina University, and as the Craven County Schools’ Superintendent,” the release says.
“Dr. Sneeden led with innovation and vision in preparing administrators for visionary leadership while never wavering from ethics of the highest order.”
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