Lincoln Snyder comes to the German department as an experienced educator and leader in Catholic schools. Lincoln holds a bachelor’s degree in international politics from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, with a certificate in German and European Studies, as well as a master’s degree in Lasallian Leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Lincoln worked as a teacher of German and school board chair at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California, and went on to serve as the Superintendent and Executive Director of Schools for the Diocese of Sacramento from 2015 to 2021. As superintendent, he stewarded schools through the Camp Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic. Lincoln was then selected to lead the revitalization of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) as President and CEO, where he served from 2021-2024. In addition to his career in education, Lincoln applied his German extensively while working in international business for Can Pack SA in Krakow, Poland.
Lincoln’s current professional interests include second language acquisition, multilingualism, curricular standards and assessment, teacher and school leader preparation, and a general love of reading and literature. His favorite German-language authors are Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Joseph Roth. Brace for a longer conversation if you ask him about genealogy or Pennsylvania Dutch. Originally from California and proud to be an adopted resident of Gdansk, Lincoln lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and their three teenage sons. When he is not working, Lincoln enjoys 20-mile walks and learning new languages.