MMA President Geraci Attends 2023 ISACS Heads of Schools Conference

Missouri Military Academy (MMA) President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret), attended the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) Heads of Schools Conference in Chicago, Illinois, January 26-27, 2023. Approximately 130 heads of schools from across the United States attended the event, which is held annually and supports ISACS’ mission to lead schools in their pursuit of exemplary independent education.

At the conference, Geraci attended the following keynote sessions: “Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms,” presented by award-winning educator, leader and best-selling author Eric Sheninger; “What We Talk About When We Talk About Diversity & Social Change,” presented by Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America; and “The Simple Science of Creating Strong Culture,” presented by best-selling author Daniel Coyle.

The ISACS conference also included time to network and exchange ideas among the school leaders. President Geraci participated in organized conversations on single-gender schools, cyber security threats, accreditation, legal trends, and pedagogical leadership.

“Professional development – which we value for all MMA faculty, coaches, company leadership advisors, and staff — helps us to stay abreast of the latest best practices and trends in education, learn from well-respected experts, and network with our peers,” said Geraci. “The ISACS conference was a great opportunity for me to learn, share what we are doing at MMA, and sharpen our focus on academic excellence for our cadets and best practices in education for our employees.”

Geraci was named MMA’s eleventh president in February 2019. The MMA Board of Trustees approved a five-year employment contract with him in 2021, extending his leadership tenure.

A New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) graduate, Geraci started his career in education as the 22nd commandant of cadets and dean of students at NMMI after retiring from the U.S. Army as a brigadier general in 2005. Prior to MMA, Geraci was the president of the Leavenworth Regional Catholic School System and principal of Immaculata High School. He joined MMA as chief academic officer in 2017 and rose to vice president for academics, operations and planning before his selection as MMA president.

A licensed school building and district administrator, Geraci holds master’s degrees in education, management, systems management, and national security and strategic studies from Eastern New Mexico University, Webster University, Florida Institute of Technology, and U. S. Naval War College, respectively. He earned a Bachelor of Science in management from Park University. His military education includes the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and U. S. Naval War College. He completed the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at the JFK School of Government and the leadership program at the Graduate School of Education, Principal’s Center, both at Harvard University.  Additionally, he completed the National Security Leaders course at Syracuse University and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) Leadership Academy at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Geraci currently serves on the executive committee for the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS).

More than 240 independent schools belong to ISACS, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization which provides accreditation services, professional development, and networking opportunities for member schools. Following an in-depth review, ISACS reaffirmed MMA’s accreditation in 2022, determining MMA meets all requirements necessary to continue as a member in good standing with full accreditation.