Hamish Brewer
The Skateboarding Principal
Hamish Brewer is a powerful and positive disruptor who transcends the status quo and typical norms in leadership and education. He is a globally recognized advocate who built his reputation on results and performance, becoming affectionately known as the Relentless, Tattooed Skateboarding Principal with his galvanizing message to “Be Relentless” and his high-octane delivery style. Hamish served as an award-winning principal at both the secondary and elementary school levels. Recognized as the NAESP Nationally Distinguished Principal and Virginia Principal of the Year, he has received multiple awards including being honored with the VAESP School Bell Award and ASCD Virginia Impact Award. Under his leadership, his elementary school was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title 1 School, and Hamish has since gone on to turn around one of the toughest middle schools in the state of Virginia. Originally from New Zealand, he earned his first degree from the University of Auckland. He is currently a doctoral student at Virginia Tech University. Hamish is the best-selling author of “Relentless – Disrupting the Educational Norm”, published in 2019. He previously served at the state level as the Federal Relations Coordinator on the Board of Directors with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals and was a lead fellow of NAESP’s Center for Innovative Leadership. He is a school turnaround and school improvement specialist, working with some of the most at-risk students in the United States.