WOCEC Executive Coaches Present at NJ Women’s Leadership Conference
On the morning of April 8, Dr. Denise Lowe and Dr. Danita Ishibashi led a dynamic and well-attended session focused on the principal leadership pipeline, with a spotlight on the experiences of women of color. Their session highlighted how intentional support structures can better prepare and sustain women of color in the principalship—ensuring they are not only recruited but also fully equipped to thrive in leadership roles.
Throughout the session, Drs. Lowe and Ishibashi:
- Shared compelling research on the positive impact of diverse school leadership on student achievement, school climate, and student belonging. Studies consistently show that effective principals—especially those who share racial or cultural backgrounds with their students—can significantly improve student outcomes, promote inclusive school environments, and foster stronger connections between schools and communities (Grissom, Egalite, & Lindsay, 2021).
- Identified both the systemic barriers and the enabling conditions that influence how women of color advance through the leadership pipeline. These include limited access to mentoring, fewer leadership development opportunities, and cultural biases within selection processes. However, enabling factors such as culturally responsive leadership training and intentional sponsorship have been shown to make a measurable difference in advancement (Brown, 2021; Horsford, Scott, & Anderson, 2019).
- Encouraged participants to evaluate current district practices and policies through an equity lens to better support the development of diverse leaders. Research underscores the importance of district-level commitment to equity-centered policies—such as inclusive hiring practices, leadership preparation programs, and accountability structures—as key levers for diversifying educational leadership (Khalifa, Gooden, & Davis, 2016).
- Offered actionable strategies for building or enhancing shared leadership models that center equity and inclusion for all aspiring school leaders. Shared or distributed leadership approaches, when aligned with equity goals, create more inclusive school cultures and expand access to leadership opportunities across racial and gender lines (Leithwood, 2020; The Wallace Foundation, 2021).
Interested in learning more about the WOCEC Principal Fellows Program, which addresses these and many other critical issues? Click the image below to dive deeper!
References, for further reading if you wish:
The Wallace Foundation. (2021). Principals in Action: Leadership that Makes a Difference.
Brown, K. (2021). Sister Leaders: Advancing Women of Color in K–12 Educational Leadership. Journal of Educational Leadership.
Grissom, J. A., Egalite, A. J., & Lindsay, C. A. (2021). How Principals Affect Students and Schools: A Systematic Synthesis of Two Decades of Research. The Wallace Foundation.
Horsford, S. D., Scott, J. T., & Anderson, G. L. (2019). The Politics of Education Policy in an Era of Inequality. Routledge.
Khalifa, M. A., Gooden, M. A., & Davis, J. E. (2016). Culturally Responsive School Leadership: A Framework for Supporting Marginalized Students. Educational Administration Quarterly.
Leithwood, K. (2020). How School Leaders Contribute to Student Success: The Four Paths Framework. The Wallace Foundation.
Free Events for School and District Leaders
Educators, please join the WOCEC NJ team for two free workshops – one face-to-face and one virtual.
Engaging professional development sessions centered on future-focused strategies to help you navigate evolving challenges in education, strengthen your professional impact, enhance your leadership credentials, and advance student achievement.
The Ready Leader, April 30, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, in person at the George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, New Brunswick, NJ.
Click here to sign up!
Navigating the System, May 8, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm ET, virtual
Click here to sign up!
Applications Now Open: 2025 WOCEC National Principal Fellowship
Decades of research confirm what educators and communities already know: diverse leadership matters. Educator diversity—especially at the school leadership level—has a powerful, positive impact on student achievement, school culture, and social-emotional development. Principals of color not only create more inclusive and affirming environments for all students but also play a critical role in recruiting, hiring, and retaining teachers of color—helping to reduce turnover and strengthen staff diversity across schools (Grissom, Egalite, & Lindsay, 2021).
That’s why the WOCEC is proud to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 National Principal Fellowship Program—a unique, five-month leadership experience designed by and for women of color principals across the country. If you’re a current school principal with 5+ years of experience and you are considering a district-level leadership role in the future, this fellowship is for you.
This fellowship brings together a select cohort of school leaders and provides:
- Executive coaching from seasoned experts who understand the unique challenges of leadership
- Professional development tailored to real-world demands, including:
- Strategic communications
- Navigating district and board relations
- Budgeting and resource allocation
- Conflict management
- Self-care and sustainability
- A powerful network of sister-leaders who inspire, support, and grow together
The program includes five virtual sessions and is designed to fit the schedules of working professionals Cost is $799.
2025 Fellowship Cohort Dates (Virtual, 3:00–5:30 pm ET):
- September 18, 2025
- October 2, 2025
- October 23, 2025
- November 13, 2025
- January 15, 2026
👉 Click here to apply and join a transformative network of women changing the face of school leadership.
Here’s what graduates of the National Fellowship say about the program:
“In reflecting on this past year, the WOCEC has been a space of refuge, reassurance, and rejuvenation. Being surrounded by women who share the same experiences and desires – while being mentored and encouraged by women who have navigated the very rooms we are seeking to enter is empowering. Every learning session was apropos to the challenges faced in our day to day lives as educators. WOCEC’s approach to professional development feels more like an intimate Masters Class.”
“The WOCEC Principal Fellowship provided a professional development experience unlike any other I have encountered. Unlike many traditional workshops or seminars that focus solely on theoretical knowledge or isolated skill sets, this fellowship celebrated us…I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this sisterhood. Throughout the fellowship, we were consistently challenged to engage in self-reflection about our leadership styles and decision-making processes…Today, I can honestly say that I am a better version of myself because of this transformative experience.”
WOCEC’s 3rd Leadership Chat: Dr. Sharon L. Contreras
Dr. Sharon L. Contreras is the CEO of the Innovation Project in North Carolina, a collaborative of forward-thinking education leaders across the state who are unleashing student potential and shaping the future of learning. Dr. Contreras has held two superintendencies—one urban and one in a county-wide district—and she is respected across the nation for implementing policies and strategies aimed at eradicating achievement gaps and improving life outcomes for all students.
In Guilford County, she helped close the graduation rate gap and vastly expanded career technical education and Advanced Placement programs, as well as access to workforce readiness programming to prepare students and their parents for high-wage jobs. Guilford County schools’ high-dosage tutoring initiative and high school learning hubs, developed during the pandemic, are considered a national model for addressing unfinished learning. In 2022, Guilford’s graduation rate increased to 91.8%, its highest ever. Under her leadership, the district passed a $2B school facilities bond, the largest in state history.
Dr. Contreras was named Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina PTA (2019), was among Triad Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in 2020, and was the 2022 AASA Women in School Leadership Award recipient. She was also named to the Business North Carolina Power List 2022.
The WOCEC’s virtual “fireside chats” are designed to bring together women leaders who are navigating and shaping education during a time of significant political and societal change, impacting schools, districts, and communities alike.
This chat happens at 8:00 am on May 13, and WOCEC members will get an email to sign up for it. As these chats are open only to WOCEC members, if you are not a member, click below to learn more.