Dr. Ben Copeland, Interim Superintendent
Lynchburg City Schools
915 Court Street
PO Box 2497 Lynchburg, VA 24505
Phone: (434) 515-5070
Email: [email protected]
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, the Lynchburg City School Board approved Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) Superintendent Crystal Edwards’ request to accelerate her retirement date to become effective on Friday, Oct. 18. The Board appointed Dr. Ben Copeland to serve as Interim Superintendent starting on Monday, Oct. 21.
Dr. Copeland’s history with LCS runs deep. He previously served as Deputy Superintendent from 2018-20, and before that, he was the LCS Assistant Superintendent for Operations and Administration from 2012-18.
Dr. Copeland has a proven track record of stellar leadership and 15 years of experience in educational administration. Currently, he serves as a founding partner and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Trident Services, LLC., providing day support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has served as the CFO for the Virginia Episcopal School, Vice President of Finance and Administration at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and Chief Auxiliary Services Officer for the Fort Bend Independent School District in Sugar Land, Texas. He also served 21 years as an officer in the U. S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2009 before transitioning into the world of education.
He has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of South Carolina, a master’s degree in healthcare policy and administration from Mercer University, a master’s degree in information technology management from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a doctorate in leadership studies from the University of Lynchburg.