Sharon D. Kruse is a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership at the University of Akron. Over the past decade, she has studied school leadership and successful school improvement practices. She previously worked with Karen Seashore Louis coauthoring Professionalism and Community: Perspective on Reforming Urban Schools (Corwin Press 1995) and with Bob Johnson Jr. coauthoring Decision Making for Educational Leaders: Under-Examined Dimensions and Issues.