Brea D'Angelo

Current Position: Superintendent of Jenkintown School District

Brea D'Angelo's career might not have started in education, but it's where she was destined to be. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in communications, Brea pursued jobs in the industry but soon realized she was missing a sense of purpose.

"I always knew, instinctively, that I wanted to be an educator. I was looking for work where I could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and education provided that in a very real and lasting way," Brea said.

Brea earned her master's in special education and began her educational career as a teacher in the Lower Moreland School District and Pennsbury School District. While teaching English for middle and high school, Brea served as Interim Assistant Principal, her first stint in administration.

"I have always loved working alongside educators and found a great deal of fulfillment in leading professional learning. Moving into administration allowed me to expand that impact beyond a single classroom or initiative. It provided an opportunity to support systems, shape culture, and influence outcomes across an entire organization.”

A few years later, Brea moved to the Hatboro-Horsham School District to serve as Assistant Principal at Keith Valley Middle School and began climbing the ranks. Over the course of the next decade, Brea served in numerous administration roles, including Principal at Pennypack Elementary and most recently Director of Educational Affairs.

In this role, Brea provided cross-departmental strategic leadership and guided district operations, instructional systems, and communications. She led significant districtwide initiatives spanning technology, construction, curriculum, instruction, staff development, and comprehensive planning.

Brea will soon take these experiences into her new role as Superintendent of Jenkintown School District.

“I am most looking forward to the opportunity to give back to a community through meaningful, student-centered leadership. I value working alongside dedicated educators, staff, families, and students to build a shared vision for success.” Brea said.

“My hope is to foster a culture where every student feels a strong sense of belonging, every educator feels supported and empowered, and the entire community takes pride in the work we do together.”

GMercyU EdD Experience

Always a continuous learner, pursuing her EdD felt like a natural next step for Brea in both her professional and personal growth. With the support of her family, Brea explored her options, ultimately landing on GMercyU’s EdD program.

“I was looking for a program that would challenge me while also offering the support and flexibility needed,” Brea said.

“From my first interaction with the team at Gwynedd Mercy University, I felt a genuine sense of care and investment in my success. That level of personal connection and commitment truly set the program apart.”

One of the hallmarks of GMercyU’s EdD program is the support students receive from day one. From the faculty to the dissertation advisors to the administrative assistants, students in the EdD program are given the guidance and mentorship to help them achieve their goals.

For Brea, her support team included Dr. Ray Bandlow, Dr. Tiffany Creswell-Yeager, and her chair, Dr. Jessica Jefferis.

“The program is designed with working professionals in mind. It offers the flexibility needed to balance career and personal responsibilities while maintaining high academic expectations. More importantly, there is a strong support system in place. The faculty is deeply committed to helping each candidate succeed, which makes a significant difference.”

Another hallmark of GMercyU’s EdD program is the all-included global residency trip to Ireland. The third and final residency of the program (first two are on campus), students, their guests and faculty members spend a week experience the culture of Ireland and collaborating with faculty at the University of Limerick.

“The residency offered a unique opportunity to study higher education within Ireland while also immersing ourselves in the culture,” Brea said. “It was a powerful blend of academic learning and global perspective, and it added a meaningful dimension to the program.”

As Brea embarks on her next career journey as Superintendent, she will be taking with her the skills, values, and experiences she gained in GMercyU’s EdD program.

“It was an incredibly rewarding experience. The work was rigorous and demanded a great deal of focus and discipline, but it was also deeply meaningful,” Brea said. “I grew both as a leader and as a learner, and the effort was well worth it.”