AASA mentors help aspiring leaders recognize their own potential, navigate complex challenges, and stay grounded in what matters most: student success. In this conversation, Cari Buehler, a mentor with the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Women Leaders, shares how mentorship grounded in genuine connection moves beyond guidance — becoming a shared journey forward — and why lifting the next generation of leaders is not just a responsibility, but a cycle that never stops.
From your perspective, what are the qualities that make a good mentor?
At its best, mentorship is about encouraging and empowering one another, not just checking a box or carrying a title.
A good mentor values the relationship over the role and shows up with trust, honesty, and a willingness to be open. Real mentorship supports people not only in their work, but in their personal growth as well. The most impactful mentors listen with intention, create space for honest conversations, and offer encouragement and perspective in the moments that matter most. When mentorship is grounded in genuine connection, it moves beyond guidance and becomes a shared journey forward, together and with confidence.
When mentorship is grounded in genuine connection, it moves beyond guidance and becomes a shared journey forward, together and with confidence.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have received from a mentor?
The most valuable advice I’ve ever received from a mentor was simple but transformative: stop admiring the program and put your energy toward developing a solution. That mindset shifted how I lead and how I show up, moving me from observation to action.
I am where I am today because someone saw potential in me before I fully saw it in myself, encouraged me to step forward, and walked alongside me as I grew. Because of that, I now feel a deep responsibility to reach back and pull up the next great leader who may not yet recognize their own capacity.
Mentorship, to me, is not a stopping point…it’s a cycle. We are always both learning and leading, being mentored and mentoring the next generation forward.
The educational landscape is changing rapidly — politically, culturally, and technologically. What does effective superintendent leadership look like in this moment?
Effective superintendent leadership in this moment requires steadiness and courage amid constant change.
Today’s superintendents must be visible, relational leaders who build trust, listen deeply, and communicate transparently, while also making difficult decisions grounded in their district’s mission, vision, and values. Above all, effective leadership now means leading with both competence and compassion, protecting what matters most, adapting when needed, and keeping students and communities at the heart of every decision.
Mentoring has changed how I view leadership. Instead of always having the answers, I now see it as walking with others as they discover their own.
How has mentoring changed the way you think about your own leadership?
Mentoring has changed how I view leadership. Instead of always having the answers, I now see it as walking with others as they discover their own. It has shown me that leadership is about relationships, trust, reflection, and being willing to learn as well as lead. Thanks to mentoring, I try to lead with more humility and purpose, knowing my job is not just to get things done but to help people grow. It reminds me that leadership is not a final destination, but a journey of growing and helping others succeed.
Women Educators Leading Learning
While women remain underrepresented in the superintendent’s chair, AASA actively works to change this demographic imbalance. Learn more about our professional learning and networking opportunities for women in school leadership!
AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Women Leaders
ACSA-AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy® for Women Leaders
AASA National Women’s Leadership Consortium
