BATON ROUGE — The Diocese of Baton Rouge said Friday that schools Superintendent Mary Patricia "Pattie" Davis will step down at the end of the year and be replaced by Cindy Ryals, currently the assistant superintendent.

Davis has led the 30-school system since June 2022. The diocese operates schools across eight civil parishes and has 14,000 students enrolled.

Ryals was previously principal of St. Alphonsus Catholic School for 15 years. She has a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Southeastern. 

“It is an honor to continue the work of Catholic education in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. I look forward to partnering with our pastors, principals, and educators to ensure our schools remain vibrant communities of faith and learning,” Ryals said.