Danielle Lutz has been named head of school at the newly chartered State College of Florida Collegiate School (SCFCS) Venice. As head of school, Lutz is responsible for developing and administering the educational programs that will welcome the school's inaugural class of high school juniors this fall. There is no cost to attend SCFCS Venice, and students who graduate from will earn both their high school diplomas and an associate degree.

Lutz brings years of experience in educational and administrative leadership to her new role, including 20 years with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Harris County, Texas. During that time, she directed grant-funded educational programs that served more than 100,000 school-age children in a district with more than 12,000 employees in 83 facilities. She also previously served as president and CEO of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP) from 2010-2017, where she helped develop, implement and evaluate the organization’s long-term strategies. She oversaw fiscal, legal and human resources operations for PDAP, which aids adolescents and young adults battling drug addiction each year. She holds a doctoral degree in education degree from Sam Houston University and a master's degree in education from the University of Houston.