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CREC Council Appoints New Executive Director Desi Nesmith to Succeed Retiring Executive Director Greg Florio

(Hartford, Conn.) The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) is proud to announce the appointment of Desi Nesmith as its next Executive Director, effective February 1, 2026. Nesmith will succeed Dr. Greg Florio, who is retiring on January 31, 2026, after a decade of transformative leadership as CREC’s Executive Director. Dr. Florio began his tenure on January 1, 2016, and guided the organization through a period of significant growth and innovation.

“On behalf of the CREC Council, I extend congratulations to Dr. Florio on his retirement as our Executive Director,” said Leonard Lockhart, Chair of the CREC Council, CREC Council Representative from Windsor, and President of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE). “Greg has provided transformational leadership and positioned CREC well in face of all that potentially could have inhibited the organization. I thank him for his service and wish him well with the next chapters on his journey. We welcome Mr. Nesmith as our next Executive Director. Desi comes to CREC with a wide range of experiences, skills, and leadership attributes that CREC requires to smoothly transition.”

Nesmith joined CREC as Assistant Executive Director in April 2024. In this role, he has been a vital member of CREC’s Executive Leadership Team, contributing to the agency’s strategic vision and organizational growth. Nesmith will become the first Black Executive Director in the 60-year history of the organization.

“[Nesmith] has served well as Assistant Executive Director and is prepared for this era in CREC's history. Both gentlemen always prioritize children and families' best interests through their support of teachers, administrators, staff, community, and education & legislative partners,” added Lockhart.

Nesmith has spent his time as Assistant Executive Director immersing himself in CREC’s myriad programs, getting to know CREC staff, and formulating a vision for the organization’s future.

“I am thrilled that the Council made this decision,” said Florio, expressing confidence in his successor. “CREC is a challenging and complex organization to lead. Desi has spent his time developing an understanding of CREC. He has developed a connection to our culture, the mission-driven focus and the core values that guide our work.”

“CREC’s work is about people—students, families, staff, and partners—and the systems that support them,” said Nesmith. “I’m committed to listening carefully, acting thoughtfully, and moving forward together with purpose.”Prior to joining CREC, Nesmith served as Assistant Superintendent at Bloomfield Public Schools and as Deputy Commissioner at the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). During his time at CSDE, he had oversight of the Strategic Planning, Performance, Academic, and Turnaround offices and collaborated with the Learn from Home Task Force to bridge the digital divide by providing devices and connectivity to Connecticut families.

In June 2019, Governor Ned Lamont appointed him Interim Commissioner of Education, where he led CSDE during a leadership transition. Previously, he served as CSDE’s Chief Turnaround Officer, overseeing the state’s Alliance District and Charter School programs to promote equity and excellence.

Nesmith’s leadership career began in school buildings. He served as principal of Metacomet Elementary School in Bloomfield, where he earned national recognition with the Milken Educator Award for dramatically improving student outcomes. Earlier, he worked as a principal in Hartford and began his career as a fifth grade teacher at Mayberry Elementary School in East Hartford.

A lifelong learner, Nesmith holds a B.A., M.A., and a Sixth-Year Diploma in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut.

The CREC community looks forward to a smooth leadership transition and anticipates continued progress under Nesmith’s leadership.