Consultant, Program Development and Evaluation 

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Kathryn Edwards, Ph.D. is an educational and business leader with experience in various social impact initiatives. She has served as an equity consultant and leadership coach for the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE).  As the founding Director of LACOE's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department, she developed, organized, and managed programs and services aimed at promoting anti-racism, cultural proficiency, and equitable and inclusive practices. Dr. Edwards has a strong background in applied research and evaluation and has acted as an external evaluator for several grant-funded programs. Additionally, she provided countywide leadership for the implementation of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) across the 80 school districts served by LACOE.

 

Prior to her work at LACOE, Dr. Edwards was a district office administrator for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Pomona Unified School District, where she focused on providing leadership in curriculum, instructional support services and technology integration. Beyond her experience in public education, she has also managed business development, marketing, and strategic planning initiatives for notable technology companies including Apple Computer, IBM, and Sun Microsystems.

 

Dr. Edwards is passionate about addressing the needs of underserved children, families, and communities. She has served on the board of Educators for Excellence and as a member of the Human Relations, Diversity, and Equity Commission for the Los Angeles Unified School District. As the principal author of the award-winning research document, "Supporting the African American Learner: A Guide for Transforming Beliefs, Systems, and Practices for Black Students," she played a crucial role in securing the 2024 -2029 Equity Lead Grant, a statewide initiative of the California Department of Education aimed at improving educational outcomes for the state's most vulnerable student populations. Committed to community service, Dr. Edwards has worked with civic and community-based organizations to develop and implement programs that promote equity for marginalized and vulnerable individuals.