Nicholas J. Pace

Nicholas J. Pace never wanted to be a principal. When youthful idealism and probably a little arrogance told him he ought to be able to match the performance of principals around him, he changed his mind. Now, the college basketball player-turned social worker, teacher, coach and principal instructs aspiring school leaders at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the (2009) author of The Principal's Challenge: Learning from Gay and Lesbian Students, The Principal's Hot Seat: Observing Real-World Dilemmas (2011), Reality Calling: The Story of a Principal's First Semester (2013) and Seeking Balance: The Story of a Principal's Second Semester (2014). He's written about sexual minority students and school leadership and received the 2010 Friend of Iowa Civil Rights Award. Pace lives in Lincoln, NE, where he serves as professor and chairperson of the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska.