Jackie Cornelius - Principal
Ms. Cornelius joined the Douglas Anderson family in 1988, serving as its Arts Director and Vice Principal before taking the reins as principal in 1996. Ms. Cornelius received her B.A. from the University of Florida and her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. Under her leadership, DA has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, a National Model School, and a National Leader School by the US Department of Education as well as being listed by the Newsweek magazine as one of the Best Academic High Schools in the country. Knowing that we come to know and experience our own humanity through art, she has tirelessly initiated and supported numerous arts education projects nationally and locally benefiting the students, school, its faculty and staff. She has served as President of Theatre Jacksonville, Uptown Civitans, First Coast Business and Professional Women’s Club, and as a Past Director of the BPW Florida Education Foundation. She is a Leadership Jacksonville Alumni, ’92. She has served as President of the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools, has served on the Jacksonville Women’s Network board and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women board. She also has in the past served on the Gateway Girl Scout Council, the Mayor’s Insight Committee, the Jacksonville Symphony Education committee, and the Youth Leadership Jacksonville Board of Directors. Awards include: the Eve Award, Florida Times Union, 2002; Florida 2000 Leadership Award/Arts for a Complete Education/ Florida Alliance for Arts Education; National Technology Excellence Award from Highwired.com and National Secondary Principals Association, March 2001; National Service Learning Award / US Department of Education, April 2001; Outstanding Arts Educator Award/ Jacksonville Arts Assembly, 1996; Woman of Distinction Award/ Gateway Girl Scout Council, 1995; Woman of the Year/ River City BPW, 1996; Excellence Award for Most Outstanding Drug Education Program /Florida Commissioner of Education, 1988.

Lianna Knight – Assistant Principal
Ms. Knight is serving her third year as an administrator with the duties of Assistant Principal/Instructional Leader. She received her B.A. from Sam Houston State University and her M.Ed in Education Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. Ms. Knight comes to Douglas Anderson with 10½ years of teaching experience including high school and middle school dance and math. In 2001 she was Teacher of The Year at Woodland Acres Middle School in Houston, Texas. She has many duties at DA which include being responsible for coordinating middle school recruitment, ensuring that all students in the county have the information to audition for admittance into DA. Ms. Knight has the responsibility of preparing the annual magazine which highlights many of DA’s accomplishments and is shared with our students, parents and many community leaders and supporters. She is the producer of Extravaganza our annual production which showcases the best of our eight arts areas. In addition, Ms. Knight oversees each aspect of Professional Development by serving as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee and the Professional Learning Community Team.

Sonya Gaiter - Assistant Principal
Ms. Gaiter earned a B.S. from the University of Miami and a M.Ed.from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). She is currently a doctorate student at NSU in Organizational and Instructional Leadership. She has seven years experience teaching mathematics in middle and high school including four years in Alternative Drop-Out Prevention and Adult Education. As a result of her dedication to the education of children, she was Centennial Middle Teacher of the Year (2004-2005) and nominated for the Florida African American Education Alliance Teacher of the Year (2005-2006). She serves Douglas Anderson in many capacities including Advanced Placement Coordinator and school operations.

Lashantah Holliday - Assistant Principal
We welcome Ms. Holliday, the newest member of the administrative team. Check back for more information soon.

Melanie Hammer - Curriculum Coordinator
Ms. Hammer earned a B.S. in Mathematics Education from the University of Georgia, and she is currently earning her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. She has six years of high school math teaching experience, three at a magnet art school in Atlanta and three at Douglas Anderson. She earned National Board Certification in 2007, and she was awarded Douglas Anderson’s Teacher of the Year during the 2007-2008 school year.