On November 6, 2024, the UC Berkeley School of Education (BSE) gathered esteemed guests, including faculty, family, alumni and local education leaders, to honor former Berkeley School of Education (BSE) interim dean and passionate civil rights and educational equity advocate Christopher Edley Jr., who passed away earlier this year. The event also launched the Christopher Edley Jr. Educational Leadership Memorial Fellowship established to support transformational leaders enrolled in the BSE's Leaders for Equity and Democracy educational doctorate (LEAD EdD). The fellowship embodies Edley’s coined phrase, “Educate like democracy depends on it.”
A Legacy of Leadership
Edley served as the BSE's interim dean from 2021 to 2023 during a crucial period when the school embraced a broader mission focused on equity and expanded access. Amid the challenges of rebuilding and adapting to new educational needs post-pandemic, Edley led the Berkeley School of Education through a name change so that an undergraduate major could be added and championed initiatives to expand innovations in online education, support for early childhood education, and enhance the schools' Leadership Programs. His leadership helped position the BSE to meet the needs of students in a rapidly changing landscape.
Previously, he was dean and Honorable William H. Orrick Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law at Berkeley Law, where he established a legacy of equity-driven leadership by developing policy-oriented centers addressing environmental and technological issues. His academic career included 23 years at Harvard Law School, where he co-founded the Civil Rights Project, an influential research initiative to advance civil rights and educational equity. Edley also held key roles in the White House before his time at Berkeley. His dedication to civil rights spanned several federal administrations, as he served under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, chaired President Barak Obama’s transition team, and advised multiple presidential campaigns. Alongside his wife and life partner, Maria Echaveste, Edley co-founded the Opportunity Institute, which is dedicated to racial equity and social mobility — a mission now carried forward by Children Now and its focus on whole-child equity.
Impact
Multiple leaders reflected on Edley’s transformative influence on education and his dedication to expanding opportunities for children, including Ted Lempert, president of Children Now, who focused on Edley’s enduring vision for equity, Maria Echaveste spoke to Edley’s relentless commitment to advancing opportunity through education, and Vince Stewart, vice president for policy and programs at Children Now, described Edley’s legacy of whole-child equity and the vital role of educational policy in building a just future.
Berkeley School of Education Dean Michelle D. Young underscored Edley’s dedication to equity-driven leadership through the launch of the LEAD program, which commenced on his first day as Interim Dean. Young reflected on Edley’s belief that impactful policy depends on committed leaders to bring it to life.
Sara Stone, a current LEAD student and the newly appointed superintendent of Albany Unified School District, shared her journey as an educator and the profound influence of LEAD’s community of equity-driven leaders. Stone conveyed how Edley’s vision of joyful and equitable learning drives her mission to foster welcoming environments for all students and reminded guests “that creating equitable schools goes beyond improving student outcomes; it’s about sustaining the fabric of our democracy.”
Olufemi “Femi” Ogundele EdD ’24, LEAD alumnus and associate vice chancellor for enrollment at UC Berkeley, described the profound influence Edley had on his approach to leadership, emphasizing that “Chris Edley taught us that leadership is a responsibility to build bridges, foster equity, and hold a vision that uplifts us all.”
Reflecting on Edley’s legacy and the mission of LEAD, Ogundele shared: “One of the big themes in the LEAD program is that leadership is an embodied practice ... the purpose of this program is not to create knowledge that sits in a library or collects dust in a binder ... it's to activate, liberate and facilitate change for the betterment of our society and beloved community.”
Continuing Edley’s Legacy
The Christopher Edley Jr. Educational Leadership Memorial Fellowship was established to support students enrolled in the LEAD EdD program. Inspired by Edley's belief in the power of equity-centered leadership, the Edley Fellowship will directly support working practitioners as they develop the theories, research design principles, operational capacities, and networks they need to effect large-scale change in education.
Investing in the next generation of education systems leaders starts here by making a gift to the Christopher Edley Jr. Educational Leadership Memorial Fellowship.