Jul 27, 2025

Article #1 in a Two-Article Series >>>>> 2025 LEAD (Leading for Equity, Action, and Diversity for PreK-12 System-Improvement) Conference/College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota/Twin Cities

A Note to My Readers  >>>>>

On Tuesday (29 July 2025), Wednesday (30 July 2025), and Thursday (31 July 2025), the annual LEAD conference will be held at the University of Minnesota Alumni Center.  In a follow-up article, I will assess the credentials of the keynote speakers at this conference and evaluate the likelihood of contribution of the conference to PreK-12 systemic improvement and promoting equity, action, and diversity---   the stated aims of the conference.

For now, please read for yourselves the background information on keynote speakers at the LEAD conference and form your own views as to the academic training of the speakers and the value of this conference in improving PreK-12 education. 

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2025 LEAD (Leading in Equity, Action, and Diversity (for PreK-12 System-Improvement)/College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota/Twin Cities

 

Day #1  >>>>>    Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Day #2  >>>>>    Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Day #3  >>>>>    Thursday, 31 July 2025

 

Keynote Speakers

 

Dena Simmons

 

Dena Simmons, EdD, is the founder of LiberatED, a collective developing school-based resources at the intersection of social-emotional learning (SEL), racial justice, and healing. Formerly the assistant director of Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, she has been an educator, teacher educator, diversity facilitator, and curriculum developer. A prominent voice on social justice and liberatory pedagogy, Simmons has spoken at the White House, the Obama Foundation Summit, the United Nations, and multiple TED events.

 

Her work has been featured in Education Week, HuffPost, NPR, and PBS’s MAKERS: Women Who Make America. A recipient of numerous fellowships, including Truman, Fulbright, Soros, and Pahara-Aspen, she earned her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on teacher preparedness, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the intersection of equity and SEL to foster justice and safe learning environments.

 

Education

 

Ed.D., Health Education & Behavioral Studies

(Teachers College/Columbia University, 2009-2014)

 

M.A., Health Education & Behavioral Studies

(Teachers College/Columbia University, 2009-2014)

 

M.S., Early Childhood Education

(Pace University, 2006-2008)

 

B.A., Spanish and Teacher Education

(Middlebury College, 2001-2005)

 

High School Diploma

(Westover School/Middlebury CT, 1997-2001)

 

Ann M. Ishimaru

 

Ann M. Ishimaru, EdD, is the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington’s College of Education. Her work in P–12 educational leadership focuses on building collective leadership among youth, families, communities, and educators to advance dignity, justice, and well-being in schools. Her research is grounded in two core ideas: that leadership is key to addressing racial injustice in education, and that those most affected by inequities should help shape solutions. She works to disrupt power imbalances by fostering equitable collaboration between system leaders and racially minoritized communities. As a community-based researcher and director of multiple leadership initiatives, she explores practices that support cross-racial solidarity and community-driven educational change. Her books include Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families & Communities (2020) and the forthcoming "Doing the Work” of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change (2025).

 

Education

 

Ed.D., Health Education & Behavioral Studies

(Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2005-2011)

 

B.A., Human Biology

(Standford University, 2001-2005)

 

 

Yvette Jackson

 

Yvette Jackson is a lifelong teacher. She is the winner of the 2019 GlobalMindEd Inclusive Leader 2012 ForeWord Reviews’ Silver Book Award, for her seminal work, The Pedagogy of Confidence: Inspiring High Intellectual Performance in Urban Schools.  She is internationally recognized for her drive to provide and promote pedagogy that supports and celebrates educators fulfilling their commitment as “gifted” teachers and administrator leaders to elicit high intellectual performances and engagement from ALL their students.  Drawing from neuroscience, gifted education, literacy, and the cognitive mediation theory of Jean Piaget’s mentee and her mentor, Dr. Reuven Feuerstein, she developed the assets-focused High Operational Practices to inspire and cultivate students’ strengths for learning, self-determination, and personal achievement.  She has been the CEO of the National Urban Alliance, adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and visiting lecturer at the Graduate Schools of Education at Harvard, Stanford, Rutgers, and St. Thomas Universities. Jackson holds multiple degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA from Queens College, CUNY.

 

Ed.D.

(Teachers College/Columbia University)

 

B.A.

(Columbia University)

 

 

Sarah Winchell Lenhoff

 

Sarah Winchell Lenhoff, PhD, is an associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies and the Leonard Kaplan Endowed Professor in Wayne State University’s College of Education. Lenhoff began her career as a New York City public school teacher, and she led the research and policy division of the non-profit The Education Trust-Midwest for four years. Her research focuses on education policy implementation and access to equitable educational opportunities, with a focus on how collaborative research with practitioners and community members can facilitate systemic improvement. Her recent research has examined district and school infrastructure to support school improvement; the effects of school choice policy on equitable opportunities for students; and the causes of and practices to reduce student absenteeism. She currently co-leads a study on the educational impact of neighborhood transformation through Detroit's Choice Neighborhoods Initiative in Corktown. She is the faculty director of the Detroit Partnership for Education Equity & Research (Detroit PEER), a research-practice partnership with Detroit schools and community-based organizations working to equitably improve student attendance and engagement in Detroit. She is the author of the new book, Rethinking Chronic Absenteeism: Why Schools Can’t Solve It Alone, now available.

 

Ph.D., Educational Policy

(Michigan State University, 2013)

 

M.A., Health Education & Behavioral Studies

(Teachers College/Columbia University, 2009-2014)

 

M.S., Teaching, Adolescent Education

(Pace University, 2006)

 

B.A., English and Women’s Studies

(University of Georgia, 2004)

 

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