FirstLine Announces Chief People Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer

FirstLine is excited to announce two new positions at the Network level. These positions are vital to the success of our schools as we work to build adult culture across FirstLine Schools. The first position is our Chief People Officer, which after a thorough search and interview process, we have selected Scott Shirey to lead in this work. In this role, Scott will be responsible for strengthening our staff retention and recruitment, performance management, succession planning, and career pathways. 

Scott originally joined FirstLine as the Executive Director of Leadership Development at FirstLine Schools in 2020. Many of you have had the opportunity to work with Scott in his leadership development role. In that role, Scott led the Mentor Teacher program, coached numerous school-based leaders, and has supported Network-based Directors. Scott has a proven track record of transforming schools and elevating student achievement. Scott is a dynamic educational leader known for driving academic excellence in challenging environments.

As the founding leader of KIPP Delta Public Schools, he grew a single middle school into a high-performing K-12 system serving 1,400 students in rural Arkansas.  Schools he led earned a National Blue Ribbon Award and were ranked as high as #2 in the state.  Scott was a recipient of the Milken Educator Award and a Pahara Fellow. With a passion for continuous improvement and a focus on developing strong leaders, Scott continues to shape the landscape of education reform, ensuring more students have access to high-quality learning opportunities.

We are also thrilled to announce we have hired Brittney Richardson as our Chief Human Resources Officer. In this role, Brittney will be responsible for employee relations, benefits management, and human resources compliance and policy. 

While Brittney is new to the FirstLine community, she brings with her over 15 years of experience in Human Resources Management and Labor Relations. A native of New Orleans, she attended Cabrini High School (’92). Brittney holds a Bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University and a Master’s degree from the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership.

 Brittney’s career highlights include serving as the former Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Dillard University, New Orleans. Past President of the Louisiana/Mississippi Gulf Coast Chapter for the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), Former Director-at-Large for the Southern Region Board of CUPA-HR. Is the 2020 recipient of the Southern Region “Distinguished Service in HR” Award by CUPA-HR and is certified in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

 She also serves as Chair of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission and in 2022 was recognized by the New Orleans City Business “Women of the Year”.

We are excited to welcome our new Chief People Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, whose leadership will be instrumental in shaping a positive, supportive culture for our staff and advancing our commitment to employee development and well-being. Their expertise will ensure we continue to attract, retain, and nurture the talented individuals who drive our mission forward.