Senior Leadership

Susan K. Givens, Ed.D. - Deputy Superintendent for Administration and Finance

Dr. Susan Givens joined the Public Schools of Brookline in 2023 as its new Deputy Superintendent of Administration and Finance, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge gained during a long career in district leadership. 
 
Before joining PSB, Dr. Givens served as Superintendent of Schools for the Newmarket School District in Newmarket, NH. Her tenure there included the development of best practices in school budgeting and resource management and the successful expansion and renovation of the district’s junior/high school annex. Dr. Givens has also served for many years as Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations in the Masconomet Regional School District in Boxford, MA, where she oversaw all aspects of digital learning, technology, finances, facilities, and human resources. Her 30+ years of educational leadership also includes serving the communities of West Newbury, Beverly, and Chatham, MA. 
 
Dr. Givens has significantly contributed to the ongoing professional learning of the educational community. As the director of the LABBB Educational Collaborative, she spearheaded strategic initiatives for 21st-century teaching and learning practices.. Her skills and contributions as a school leader have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Meritorious Budget Award and the Eagle Award – Distinguished Professional from the Association of School Business Officials, International, and the President’s Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials. 
 
Dr. Givens earned her Doctorate in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on Instructional, Organizational, Public, and Evidence-Based Leadership. She earned her Master's in Leadership from Northeastern University and her Bachelor's in Business Administration from Salem State University.

Karen Shmukler, Ed.D., LMFT - Interim Deputy Superintendent for Student Services

Dr. Karen Shmukler has a diverse and multi-layered career with experience and expertise spanning pre-K-college in the educational and human services domain in highly diverse communities. 

Karen was the Deputy Superintendent of Student Services in the Public Schools of Brookline where she worked for over a decade, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services in the Newton Public Schools and the Associate Head of School at Prospect Hill Academy. Karen was at the forefront of introducing wraparound and system of care principles in the areas of public education, mental health and child welfare in Massachusetts. She provides professional development in this area to IEP teams, special education administrators, school-based mental health personnel in developing  and facilitating inter-disciplinary systems and coordinated care approaches with families and outside providers that wrap services and support around students with complex needs in special education,  supporting students to remain in the most inclusive, least restrictive environments. 

Karen consults at the state and national level bringing her deep expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and building Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) that provide and integrate culturally responsive social emotional and academic development. She has deep expertise in innovative special education program design and development, special education reviews, and building in-district programming to reduce unnecessary out of district placements.   Karen has worked across districts and presented nationally on sustainable, systemic approaches to disrupt disproportionality in special and general education at the systems, school and individual educator level. Regardless of context, her work centers and braids issues of equity, inclusion, race, belonging and culture as she strives to support and build inclusive organizations that are culturally sustaining and healing-centered. 

Karen received her Clinical Psychologist degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and her Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University, Florida. Karen currently lectures at Tufts University on child mental health in the educational context.  She has taught English as a Second Language and literacy to children and adults from marginalized communities in South Africa and the USA. 

Robin Benoit, Ph.D. - Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning

Dr. Robin Benoit brings more than 30 years of experience in public education, with a career spanning classroom teaching, school leadership, and district-level instructional leadership.

She has served in a variety of roles at both the school and district level, including director of instructional design, PreK–12 STEM coordinator, and middle school principal. In these positions, Robin has worked on curriculum and instructional improvement with a focus on strengthening Tier 1 instruction, aligning curriculum and assessment practices, and supporting professional learning. Her work has included guiding the adoption of instructional materials, curriculum review efforts, and instructional practice across schools.

Robin’s work emphasizes authentic and applied learning, inclusive instructional design, and systems that support educator growth and student success. Her leadership values collaboration and continuous improvement, with a clear focus on ensuring that all students experience engaging, rigorous, and high-quality learning opportunities.

Drawing on her experience as a practitioner and her commitment to lifelong learning, Robin earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Lesley University, where her research examined how superintendents lead through periods of social and political change. She has presented at the state and national level and remains closely connected to practice through mentoring and collaboration with educators and leaders. This work continues to inform her leadership and her commitment to building collective capacity to support meaningful learning for all students.