Dr. Eric N. Gallien, Superintendent of the Racine Unified School District
With the exception of his time in the military, Dr. Eric N. Gallien, Superintendent of the Racine Unified School District (RUSD), has lived nearly all of his life until 2013 in Milwaukee and been involved in education for most of his adult life, most of that time in the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) system.
Dr. Gallien grew up in a low-income, Milwaukee household, the son of a single mother. After graduating from high school, Dr. Gallien enlisted in the U.S. Marines and saw combat during Operation Desert Storm.
After receiving an honorable discharge, Dr. Gallien spent several years as a successful entrepreneur with several family-operated businesses. During a volunteer outing at a local school, Dr. Gallien said he found his vocational calling when he realized he could make a difference in the lives of young people, just as his teachers had done for him. After deciding that education would be his future career, Dr. Gallien embarked on a journey of professional growth, first earning an undergraduate degree in history education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1999; an M.A. in educational leadership and administration from Alverno College in 2005 and a Ph.D. in educational policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011.
Prior to joining RUSD, Dr. Gallien served as Regional Director of School Support for MPS. He began his career with MPS as an educational assistant, rising to leadership as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels with MPS before moving to RUSD, first as deputy superintendent and then as superintendent on July 1, 2018.
