Administration

Grant Rivera has been the proud Superintendent of Marietta City Schools since 2016, leading the district’s 12 schools, approximately 8,900 students, and 1,200 employees. He is a career educator who has served as a principal, teacher, and coach prior to becoming superintendent. He is humbled and honored to be leading Marietta City Schools, where the district serves as a state and national model for innovation and the science of reading.

Grant holds a bachelor’s degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University and earned a master’s degree in special education and a Doctorate of Education with an emphasis in school law from the University of Alabama. Dr. Rivera and his wife, Jenn, live in Marietta with their two daughters. Grant and his family are committed, in collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, to raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research, as his daughter is a stage IV cancer survivor.

Contacts

Grant Rivera, Ed.D
Marietta City Schools

Karina Hill
Executive Assistant
(770) 422-3500 ext. 7253

For media inquiries/interviews:
MCS Communication Department

Chuck Gardner is a career educator committed to providing every child with a world-class education that prepares them for the life they choose. He currently serves as Deputy Superintendent of Marietta City Schools, where he supervises district principals and helps lead the district’s work in academics, strategy, and innovation, including oversight of all district literacy initiatives. After being appointed Chief Academic Officer in 2024 to oversee the district’s Academic Division and support teaching and learning initiatives across Marietta City Schools, Dr. Gardner was later promoted to Deputy Superintendent in 2025.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Gardner served as Chief Operations Officer for Marietta City Schools, overseeing Capital Programs, Facilities, Maintenance, School Nutrition, Transportation, School Safety, and Information Technology. During his time in that role, he oversaw the successful completion of more than $70 million in school construction and renovation projects. Before coming to Marietta in 2019, Dr. Gardner served in a variety of leadership roles in Fulton County Schools, including principal of Riverwood High School, Sandy Springs Middle School, and Frank McClarin High School. Throughout his career, he has also served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and district leader. In addition to his work in K-12 education, Dr. Gardner serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Leadership, Research, and School Improvement at the University of West Georgia.

Dr. Gardner holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, a master’s degree and Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University, and a Doctorate in School Improvement from the University of West Georgia. He has served as a regular speaker at national conferences, including those hosted by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the National Association for Secondary School Principals.

Michael Santoro is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Marietta City Schools (MCS). With a distinguished career in educational leadership, Mr. Santoro brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of excellence to his role.

Before joining MCS, Michael served as principal at Creekview High School in Cherokee County and held leadership roles at Woodstock Middle School and River Ridge High School. His extensive career in education also includes a twenty-year tenure in Fulton County as a teacher, head coach, and athletic director.

As COO, Mr. Santoro oversees the district’s day-to-day operations, including managing school facilities, transportation, food services, procurement, safety, and security. His role supports the implementation of district policies and strategic initiatives to streamline operations and improve efficiency.

Michael Santoro holds a bachelor’s degree in education from St. John Fisher College in New York, a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Walden University, and a specialist degree in educational leadership from Berry College. His wife, Stephanie, is an assistant principal in Cobb County, and they have a daughter, Sophia. In his free time, he enjoys family beach trips with their dogs and attending concerts.

Dr. Marco Holland is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Marietta City Schools, leading efforts to attract, develop, and retain a high-performing workforce aligned to district priorities.

With over 25 years in public education, he has served as a principal at all K–12 levels and held district leadership roles focused on school performance and governance. For the past four years, he has been a senior cabinet member, advancing leadership accountability, organizational effectiveness, and talent development.

As a principal, he led major school improvements, including raising CCRPI scores, increasing graduation rates, and strengthening school culture. He also developed an accredited magnet business program which was recognized among Georgia’s top 10% most-improved schools.

Dr. Holland holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and is active in professional organizations supporting educational leadership and human resources. He resides in Marietta and is a proud father of three: Rain, Blossom, and Taiyo. 

Dr. Tris Gilland brings 27 years of experience in Special Education to Marietta City Schools, where she serves as Chief of Student Services—a vital leadership role focused on advancing the success of every learner.

Most recently, Dr. Gilland served as Executive Director of Services for Exceptional Children in Fulton County Schools, leading district-wide special education services for the past two years. Before that, she spent five years as Fulton’s Director of Compliance, ensuring legal and instructional alignment across programs. She also served as a Special Education Director supporting Zones 1–4, where she led school-based implementation efforts and supported instructional teams.

Before joining Fulton County, Dr. Gilland led the Program for Exceptional Children in Carroll County and spent years in the classroom working with students with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, and Behavior Disorders in Douglas County. There, she also served as a district resource for both instructional strategies and behavioral supports.

A state-level leader, Dr. Gilland served as President of the Georgia Council of Administrators of Special Education (G-CASE) from 2019 to 2021, following a four-year tenure as Chair of the G-CASE Legislative Committee. She earned her Ed.D. in School Improvement with a focus on Special Education from the University of West Georgia and became a Board Certified Behavior Interventionist in 2009.

Dr. Gilland is honored to join Marietta City Schools and is committed to building strong partnerships that ensure all students, especially those with diverse learning needs, are supported, empowered, and positioned for lifelong success.

Kim Blass brings extensive experience working at the intersection of communications and development to her position as the district’s Chief Impact Officer, where she creates district and community impact through partnerships, programs, and philanthropy.

Kim specializes in crafting strategies that advance an organization’s priorities, recognizing the role that messaging, brand, and overall “touches” have on fundraising success and greater engagement across constituencies. Her background includes consulting for Coxe Curry & Associates, where her education clients included Spelman College, Atlanta Youth Academy, and KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools, as well as positions at several leading Atlanta-area institutions, including The Lovett School, the Atlanta History Center, and Northside Hospital. At Lovett, as the chief marketing and communications officer, she sat on the Executive Committee for the School’s $90+ million Our Defining Decade capital campaign and served as a visiting accreditation team member for the Southern Association of Independent Schools and as an active volunteer for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. She also enjoyed working with students as a high school advisor and as an instructor in Lovett's Urban Experience summer school course.

Kim is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she majored in American Studies with a concentration in Southern Studies. She pursued graduate work at Georgia State University in Communications and Journalism. She and her husband, P. Gray Kelly, have two children in Marietta City Schools.

Chris Fiore is an Emmy-nominated communications executive known for his expertise in public-sector communications. As Chief Communications Officer for Marietta City Schools (MCS), Fiore brings over a decade of experience in strategic communication and public relations.

Fiore's career is marked by significant roles, such as Public Information Director for the Louisiana Department of Labor and head of communications for South Lake Tahoe, California. His transformative work ranges from managing million-dollar marketing campaigns to overseeing effective regional responses during crises such as COVID-19.

As a seasoned television news journalist, Fiore reported on major global events, including the war in Afghanistan and hurricanes on the Carolina and Louisiana coasts. His ability to deliver critical information under high-stress situations has earned him respect and recognition in the field.

Now back in Georgia, where he kickstarted his career in the Public Information Office for the City of Savannah, Fiore is committed to elevating MCS's strategic communications and media relations. His dedication extends beyond his professional life, serving in leadership roles for various volunteer organizations, including the American Red Cross.

Fiore's work has earned him a Davey Award, a Top 40 Under 40 recognition, and numerous professional recognitions, solidifying his reputation as a visionary in public communications.