Director of Education, City of Oakland
As Director of Education for the Mayor, I have the opportunity to work in partnership with students, families, educators, partners, the city, OUSD, and Mayor Schaaf to realize a vision of educational equity for all students in Oakland. With the collaboration of these key stakeholders, I am able leverage the work that has already been done and align it to our shared vision of creating a true continuum of excellence from pre-K through K-12 and beyond –ensuring that every child in Oakland graduates high school with the expectations, resources and skills to complete college and be successful in the career of their choice.
Reflecting on some of the students that I had that were brilliant but never went to college motivates me to make sure that their children will have the opportunities they deserve.
You can fail but don’t quit. Life is not a straight line and has a lot of ups and downs. Remember who you are, what you value, what motivates you, and the importance of reaching out to people for support during tough times.
I like to dance, bring people together, go to baseball games with my three year old son, play basketball, and hang out late night at IHOP.
I am continually impressed with the diversity and commitment to equity in the wonderful city I am proud to call home. I have worked in education in Oakland since 1997 and I have never been more optimistic than today. We have incredible students, dedicated teachers and principals, committed families and community partners, as well as a mayor, superintendent, and School Board with a powerful vision of educational equity, and models of successful schools. This is our time.
Every child from birth would have the expectation and resources to graduate from college and be successful in his or her career. First generation college students would know how to navigate the system, be academically ready for college success, and financial concerns would never be a barrier.