Jeff McDaris began his teaching career in 1983 after graduating from NC State University with a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education. He served as a teacher, coach, and administrator in North Carolina for 40 years. He strongly believes that learning should never stop for any of us because it builds our capacity for continuous improvement and enriches our great state. Jeff served as superintendent of Transylvania County Schools for 14 years. Retiring in 2023, he is an educational consultant.

Jeff earned his master’s degree in industrial education from Western Carolina University in 1993, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from WCU in 2005. He is a graduate of the Principal’s Executive Program at UNC-Chapel Hill, a former Trustee for Blue Ridge Community College, and served on the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board for 17 years. He also served on the NC Superintendent’s Association’s Executive Board and is a past president of the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce.

He is a 2011 recipient of the Peak Performer Award at Western Carolina University, and a 2017 recipient of the William and Ida Friday Award from The Friday Institute at NC State University for Innovation. He is a former NC CTE Director of the Year, a past president of the NC Association of School Administrators, NC Association for Career and Technical Education Administrators, and NC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. He is also a former Western Region Superintendent of the Year.

A native of Transylvania County and a 1979 graduate of Brevard High School, Jeff is married to his high school sweetheart, Lisa. He and Lisa have two sons, John, a middle school principal in Henderson County Public Schools, married to Charity with three awesome granddaughters, Madelyn, Ava, and Emerlyn; and William, who works in the private sector for Superior Crane Corp., and married to Rebecca, a former teacher, now employed in the private energy sector. Jeff and Lisa live in Pisgah Forest, NC.