McKenna Corrigan will return to Cleveland this summer in a new role: assistant superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Office of Catholic Education.
An experienced Catholic school educator and principal, Corrigan has spent the last 16 years serving in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois. She will join the team here that leads and serves Catholic elementary schools throughout the eight-county diocese. More than 38,000 students are enrolled in Catholic schools across the diocese.
Since 2019, Corrigan has been principal of St. Ann School on Chicago’s lower West Side. Previously, she served as principal of Chicago’s St. Genevieve School from 2013. Concurrently, she has been a Big Shoulders Fund Sullivan Leadership Fellow since 2017 and has served as facilitator for the fund’s New Network Leaders Program since 2022, developing and delivering content to mentor first and second year principals and assistant principals in urban, under-resourced Catholic schools. Currently, McKenna is co-president of the Archdiocesan Principals Association and serves as adjunct faculty for the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame.
Corrigan is an alumna of Magnificat High School in Rocky River. She earned her Master’s of Educational Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame and her Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in secondary education from Saint Mary’s College. Corrigan’s record of transformational service to Catholic schools in need and supportive leadership to her peers both locally and nationally uniquely qualify her to assume this role.
“After a decorated career in Chicago, McKenna comes home to the Diocese of Cleveland as a leader of leaders,” said Frank O’Linn, secretary for Catholic education and superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. “In addition to her success as a principal, leading renewal for vibrant faith communities and academic excellence, she has responded throughout her career to build the capacity of other leaders around her. I am excited for the future of our Catholic school leadership when we place her gifts at the service of the dedicated, excellent professionals leading the elementary schools of this diocese.”
McKenna said she looks forward to returning to Cleveland to begin serving the Catholic schools here.
“I firmly believe in the power of a Catholic school education and I am compelled by Catholic social teaching to ensure a Catholic education for all, especially the marginalized and disadvantaged. I am excited at the opportunity to bring my experiences and knowledge of Catholic school leadership to principals in the Diocese of Cleveland, a place I also call home,” she said.
As assistant superintendent, her duties will center on the development and support of leaders for Catholic elementary schools, furthering one of the major aims of the Keeping the Faith strategic plan.
She will provide focused support for all facets of school leadership, to not only principals but also pastors, business managers and boards and other leadership positions. In addition, she will take on the diocesan effort to identify and develop future leaders to serve in positions of Catholic school leadership.