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Dr. Kandice Sumner has been named the next President and Chief Executive Officer of METCO, Inc., effective October 1, 2025.

A third-generation member of the METCO community and a proud alumna of the Weston METCO program, Dr. Sumner steps into this role not only as a seasoned educational leader but also as someone whose life has been deeply shaped by METCO’s mission of educational equity and access.

Most recently, Dr. Sumner served as Associate Principal of Culturally Responsive Practice at New Heights Charter School of Brockton, where she led operational teams and advanced equity-driven, data-informed practices. She also supervised academic and cultural leadership teams, supporting staff across instruction, student support, and school culture.

Her career has been defined by amplifying the voices of students and communities often left at the margins – and always with warmth, joy, and purpose. As you’ll see, Dr. Sumner is a student-centered leader and strategic thinker with a natural flair for connecting with people, inspiring audiences, and fundraising.

Since 2019, Dr. Sumner has been a doctoral adjunct professor at UMass-Boston, creating and facilitating the Critical Studies in Urban Schools curriculum for doctoral students. She was also a co-founder and co-executive director of the nonprofit Educators for Antiracism, overseeing annual virtual conferences attended by thousands of educators worldwide. Dr. Sumner has a firmly rooted background in education, having also worked in administrative and teaching roles at Charlestown High School, Newton South High School, Fenway High School, and TechBoston Academy. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Spelman College with departmental honors.

A graduate of the Weston METCO program, Dr. Sumner made history as the first Black female class president at Weston High School. As a teenager, she stood before her peers and called for deeper investment in educational equity, urging, “If not us, who? If not now, when?” Now, nearly two decades later, Dr. Sumner returns to lead the very organization she once spoke on behalf of not just as a leader, but as the living embodiment of METCO’s promise.

Her multigenerational connection to METCO runs deep and is woven through both her personal and professional path: Dr. Sumner’s grandfather, Carnell Eaton, helped organize Project Exodus, the predecessor to METCO, and her mother was a METCO graduate from Lexington.

Dr. Sumner was unanimously confirmed as the next president and CEO after a highly competitive national search led by DSG Global | Koya Partners and grounded in METCO’s mission and values. The process was informed by input from more than 150 constituents including parents, students, alumni, METCO staff, district partners, and community leaders, and guided by a diverse Search Committee representing the full breadth of the METCO community.  

The METCO Board wishes to thank our entire Search Committee and our partners for their hard work reviewing research, interviewing candidates, and creating a hiring roadmap. We are also incredibly grateful to our broader community for their important perspectives and valuable input as we move into the next exciting chapter of our history.

Dr. Sumner’s appointment marks a powerful moment of return and renewal for METCO. We look forward to introducing her to our broader community in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned for opportunities to connect, celebrate, and engage.