Ms. Latressa Renée Cobb has been selected as the next Europe’s East District Community Superintendent

Dr. Michelle Howard-Brahaney, Department of Defense Education Activity – Europe Director for Student Excellence announces that Ms. Latressa Renée Cobb has been selected as the next Europe’s East District Community Superintendent. “Ms. Cobb extensive training and experiences in leadership will be an asset to the East District community. I am proud to announce her selection to this important position,” said Brahaney.

Ms. Cobb, originally from Kinston and Jacksonville, North Carolina, began her educational journey as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow at North Carolina Central University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Mathematics, along with three Master of Education degrees in Curriculum and Instruction: Technology, Educational Administration, and Special Education. 

In 2011, Ms. Cobb relocated to Japan to support her husband’s U.S. Navy career and joined DoDEA as a local hire math teacher at Yokosuka Middle School. During her time there, she took on leadership roles as department chair, team leader, and Continuous School Improvement (CSI) Co-Chair. Her expertise in technology led to her selection as the educational technologist for the school in 2014. In 2017, she transitioned to Matthew C. Perry High School at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni as the educational technologist and was promptly promoted to assistant principal. 

In July 2020, Ms. Cobb became the principal of Iwakuni Elementary School, where she earned recognition for launching instructional programs like "One School, One Book," aimed at improving student achievement and promoting a love of reading. In August 2021, Ms. Cobb proudly returned to Matthew C. Perry High School as the principal. She championed the integration of innovative and traditional teaching methods, using data-driven decision-making leading to an increase in student achievement. In July 2023, Ms. Cobb joined the Europe Center for Instructional Leadership as a Professional Practice Improvement Specialist (PPIS). Based in Brussels, Ms. Cobb supported school leaders in Europe West with coaching and job-embedded professional learning. 

Ms. Cobb is married to retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Samuel (Mike) Cobb. Their daughter, Taylor, a DoDEA graduate, is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force as an Operations Intelligence Specialist, and their son, Jalen, also a DoDEA graduate, is a sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University. Having navigated life as a military spouse, raised military-connected children, and now as the mother of an active-duty service member, Ms. Cobb deeply understands the unique challenges and rewards of military life.