Dr. Russell W. Booker

Dr. Russell W. Booker, CEO of Spartanburg Academic Movement in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is a dedicated advocate for education and community service, boasting over 30 years of diverse experience in the field. His unwavering commitment revolves around empowering students to lead lives of distinction and service. As the leader of the Spartanburg Academic Movement, Dr. Booker is supporting an ambitious integrated economic mobility plan, Movement 2030, with the goal of providing thousands of children in Spartanburg a clear path to upward mobility.

Retired as the Superintendent of Spartanburg County School District Seven, Dr. Booker has significantly influenced the local education landscape. Beyond his role in Spartanburg, he currently serves as the Chair of the StriveTogether Board of Directors and sits on the board of directors for Purpose Built Communities. Additionally, he holds trustee positions at Wingate University, the Mary Black Foundation, Strategic Spartanburg, and the Spartanburg Regional Hospital Foundation.

Dr. Booker’s contributions have garnered him numerous accolades, including the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Humanitarian Award, recognition as South Carolina Superintendent of the Year, and induction into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Athlete Alumni. In 2020, he received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his dedicated service to education. Most recently, he was honored with OneSpartanburg Inc.’s 2023 Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizen Award.

A proud member of the Spartanburg Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the South Carolina Liberty Fellowship, Dr. Booker’s roots run deep in his community. He earned his B.S. degree in Education from Wingate University and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Presently, he serves as a By All Means Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s EdRedesign Lab in the Graduate School of Education. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from Converse University and the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Dr. Booker and his wife Sheryl reside in Spartanburg and count their sons to be among their greatest blessings. Grant, a graduate of the US Naval Academy, was commissioned as a US Marine Corps officer in 2023, while Maxwell is a member of the Harvard College Class of ’26. The Booker family is actively involved in the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, where they find solace and inspiration in their faith community.