The Richmond County Board of Education has appointed Dr. Malinda Cobb as superintendent of schools for the Richmond County School System, effective Aug. 13, 2025. Cobb has served as interim superintendent since Jan. 1, following the retirement of Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw, who led the district for five years.

"Dr. Cobb has demonstrated strong leadership, deep knowledge of our district, and an unwavering commitment to student success," said Shawnda Stovall, board president. "Her decades of service to Richmond County have prepared her to lead our schools into the future, and the Board is confident in her ability to guide the district forward."

The Board partnered with the Georgia School Boards Association to establish selection criteria, review applications from 35 candidates, and interview a shortlist of six. Cobb was named one of two finalists on July 29. After reviewing feedback from more than 500 community members, the Board voted 6–4 to confirm her appointment during its Aug. 12 committee meeting.

Cobb has been a member of the superintendent’s cabinet for more than three years, most recently as associate superintendent of academic services. She has more than 20 years of service in Richmond County, beginning as a teacher at T.W. Josey Comprehensive High School, where she was named Teacher of the Year, and later serving as principal of Goshen Elementary and the Academy of Richmond County.

She holds a doctorate from Georgia Southern University, a specialist degree from Augusta State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a bachelor’s degree from Newberry College in South Carolina.