Dr. Brad Yates became Superintendent of Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District in July of 2019 after serving five years as Assistant Superintendent of Bluffton-Harrison M.S.D. Prior to serving as Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Yates served as Business Manager and Transportation Director for the district from 2011 to 2014. Throughout his career in school administration, Dr. Yates has served as the Chairman of the School Employees’ Benefit Trust from 2014 through 2018, and he continues to serve as a member of the Trust. He began his teaching career as a vocational business education teacher at Bluffton High School in 2006. Throughout his teaching career, Dr. Yates coached boys' basketball at various levels from 2004-2010 and girls' basketball in 2010-2011.
Dr. Yates, a 2002 graduate of Bluffton High School, earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Education from Ball State University in 2006. He earned his Master of Science in Administrative Leadership from Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne in 2009. In 2018, Dr. Yates earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University.
As an active member of professional organizations in the state, Dr. Yates maintains membership with the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, Indiana School Boards Association, Upper Wabash Valley School Study Council, and the Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO). As part of IASBO, Dr. Yates completed the Chief Business Officer certification program in August of 2013. In 2018, he was named the Region 3 IASBO School Business Official of the Year. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for IASBO as the Region 3 Director.
Locally, Dr. Yates serves on the Board of Directors for Bluffton Regional Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Yates has served on the Board of Directors for the Bluffton-Southern Wells Dollars for Scholars since 2012.
Dr. Yates and his wife, Jessica, live in Bluffton with their four children, Bailey, Addison, Deacon, and Liam.