Bishop Beckman appoints Martha Mundine of New Orleans Archdiocese
The East Tennessee Catholic
Martha Mundine, who currently serves as the deputy schools superintendent for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, has been named superintendent of Diocese of Knoxville schools.
Bishop Mark Beckman made the announcement on Feb. 11 following a comprehensive, nationwide search to fill the position. Mrs. Mundine’s appointment is effective April 13.
She succeeds longtime diocesan educator George Valadie, who has been serving as interim superintendent since 2024.
“We are blessed to welcome Martha Mundine to this important ministry,” Bishop Beckman said. “Catholic schools are essential to our diocese’s mission of forming young disciples of Christ. Mrs. Mundine’s deep commitment to advancing the mission of Catholic education, combined with her wealth of experience in classrooms, deep Catholic faith, and proven educational leadership, will strengthen our schools and support our students, families, teachers, and administrators. Additionally, I would like to extend my deep gratitude to our dedicated search committee for its hard work and effort in helping find the best candidate.”
Bishop Beckman said the diocese extends its heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Valadie for his many years of dedicated service to Catholic education in East Tennessee.
Mrs. Mundine has more than 30 years of experience in Catholic education, from classroom teaching and school leadership to senior executive administration.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of South Alabama in 1992 and received a master’s degree in educational leadership from the Mobile, Ala., university in 2002. She is currently working on a doctorate in executive leadership at the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans. She expects to receive her Ph.D. in 2027.
As superintendent, Mrs. Mundine will oversee 10 schools that serve approximately 3,400 students in Chattanooga, Oak Ridge, Farragut, Knoxville, Kingsport, and Johnson City.