Soraya Sablo Sutton is the Program Director of the Principal Leadership Institute. She received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Education in the division of Language, Literacy, and Culture in 2003. Dr. Sablo Sutton's research focuses on equity-oriented social justice leadership preparation, retention and sustainability. To that end, she supports a host of racial affinity groups for site and systems level leaders through the 21st Century School Leadership Academy. Additionally, Dr. Sablo Sutton helps to guide the work of the Leadership Support Program (LSP), the Tier 2 Induction Program, which offers professional learning and coaching for early career school leaders.
Under Dr. Sablo-Sutton's direction, the Principal Leadership Institute was awarded the Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation Program honor by the University Council for Educational Administration, 2024.
Dr. Sablo Sutton has taught courses for the PLI since 2014 covering a wide range of leadership topics including School Supervision and Evaluation, Curriculum and Instruction for School Leaders, Data for School Improvement, School Finance and Resources, and Fieldwork Practicum. In addition, Dr. Sablo Sutton coordinates programs for teacher leaders, works with local school districts to support practicing administrators, and facilitates professional learning workshops for PLI alumni. As part of the Chancellor’s Partnership Grant, Dr. Sablo Sutton has supported the professional development of the Leaders of Color Network in Berkeley Unified School District. She coordinated the Change Makers project, a state-wide grant funded by the Stuart Foundation, designed to support school principals and combat leader burnout.
Dr. Sablo Sutton has also served as an international consultant on projects focused on school-wide improvement efforts. Most recently, she worked with administrators and teachers to implement a Pedagogical Mentoring reform initiative in Santiago, Chile, at the Universidad de Diego Portales.
Prior to joining the PLI, Soraya Sablo Sutton worked in San Leandro Unified School District and Oakland Unified School District as a teacher, instructional coach, and elementary principal for over a decade. In Oakland Unified, she served on the design team for the Small Schools Initiative. In San Leandro Unified, Dr. Sablo Sutton led district-wide equity-focused professional learning for teachers and administrators. Dr. Sablo Sutton is a graduate of the Principal Leadership Institute, Cohort 13.
Publications
Refereed Journal Publications
Sablo Sutton, S., Cuellar, C., Gonzalez, P., & Espinosa, M. J. (2022). Pedagogical Mentoring in Chilean Schools: An Innovative Approach to Teachers’ Professional Development. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. 11(1), Feb/Mar 2022.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2021). Introduction: Staying in the Work. In Sablo Sutton, S. (Guest Editor) Voices of Collective Resilience. Schools: Studies on Education. University of Chicago Press. Spring 2021.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Gong, N. (2021). Rethinking the “Superhero” Principal Narrative: School leaders’ resilience is best built as a collective effort. Educational Leadership, 78 (7), pp. 38-43.
Cheung, R., Sablo Sutton, S. and Flores, C. (2019) “Tipping the Balance: Social justice leaders allying with marginalized youth to increase student voice and activism”. Journal of the California Association of Professors of Educational Administration, Vol. 30, March 2019, pp. 1-13.
Mahiri, J. and Sablo, S. (Summer, 1996). “Writing for their lives: The Non-School Literacy of California's Urban Youth”. The Journal of Negro Education, 65 (2), pp. 164-180.
Book Chapters
Sablo Sutton, S. (2004). Spoken Word: Performance Poetry in the Black Community. In J. Mahiri (Ed). What They Don't Learn in School: Literacy in the Lives of Urban Youth. New York: P. Lang.
Non-Refereed Publications
Sablo Sutton, S., Rosenthal, L., Yun, C. (2022). Practice Brief: Leadership Preparation for Social Change: Creating a Continuum of Support. Educator Preparation Laboratory. edpreplab.org
Sablo Sutton, S. and Rojas Concha, M. (2020). “Flying With Our Own Wings The essential role of leaders in supporting pedagogical mentoring”. UC Berkeley Impact Report. Berkeley: University of California.
Cheung, R., Sablo Sutton, S., Cázares, L., Bristol, T. (2019). Equity Action Framework Tool. Berkeley: University of California.
Peer Reviewed Conference Presentations
Sablo Sutton, S. & Chang, S. (2024). Developing culturally responsive leaders through an arts-integrated partnership. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Williams-Zou, W. (2024). Leading with Empathy, Justice and Joy: Using Hypotheticals and Role Play in justice-oriented leader preparation. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S., Solórzano, D., Dong, Q. & Zapien, R. (2024). Supporting Leaders of Color Through Affinity Groups. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S., Rosenthal, L., Wetzel de Cediel, N., & Rojas, F. (2024). Leadership is an Embodied Practice, The role of performance assessment in leader preparation. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2023). Innovations in Leader Preparation for Social Justice: Connecting Art, Social Justice and Leader Identity Development. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Sablo Sutton, S.,Murata, A., Dong, Q.,Cheung, R., Thomas, C. (2023). Four Approaches to Create a Synergistic Leadership Change: Reset-ting Educational Leadership for Equity. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Rosenthal, L., Sablo Sutton, S. Wetzel de Cediel, N., Scott, J (2023) Symposium: Stories of arts, embodiment, and praxis in P-20 leader preparation. American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2022). Supporting Sustainability in School Site Principals. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, Seattle, WA.
Sablo Sutton, S., Rosenthal, L., Nguyen, V. (2022) Symposium: Expanded Notions of Leadership Preparation: A Continuum of Support to Sustain Social Justice Leaders. American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Nguyen, V. (2021) Deepening our Commitment to Equity: Professional Learning for Leadership Coaches. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference. [Virtual].
Cheung, R., Sablo Sutton, S., Gong, N. (2021) Supporting Principal Resilience and Sustainability: Change Making in an Age of Attrition. Symposium: Finding Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Different Stakeholders in Schools. American Educational Research Association [Virtual].
Sablo Sutton, S. (2020). Change Makers: Cultivating Critical Resilience and Leader Sustainability through Networks of Support. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference. [Virtual].
Sablo Sutton, S. (2020). Innovative Pedagogical Mentoring in Chilean Schools: Lessons from the Global South. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference. [Virtual].
Sablo Sutton, S., Cuéllar Becerra, C., González Vallejos, M. P. (2020). Leadership and Pedagogical Mentoring in Chilean Schools: An Innovative Approach to Professional Development. American Educational Research Association [Virtual]. San Francisco, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Cheung, R. (2019) Creating a Leaders of Color Network: Combating Leader Burnout. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Cázares, L. & Sablo Sutton, S. (2019). Special Dollars for Special Scholars: Equity Centered Resource Allocation. Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Orlando, FL.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Paul Castro, A. (2012). Integrating Arts for English Learner Success. California Association of Bilingual Educators Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Paul Castro, A. (2011). Revolutionary War Journals: Integrating Art, Social Studies and English Language Arts. California County Superintendents Educational Services Association Conference, Sacramento, CA.
Invited Lectures and Workshops
Sablo Sutton, S. & Rosenthal, L. (Sept 2024). Instructional Leadership & Walkthroughs: Presentation to visiting principals from University of Agder, Peres K-8 School, Richmond, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Creer Kahn, A. (February 2024). Equity Deep Dive: How leaders can support CA Teacher Residency programs to thrive. CA Teacher Residency Lab. [Virtual]
Sablo Sutton, S. & Rosenthal, L. (Sept 2023). Instructional Leadership as a lever for school improvement. Presentation to visiting principals from University of Agder, Richmond, CA.
Bristol, T. & Sablo Sutton, S. (April 2023). Creating an Ecosystem Where Teachers Can Thrive: The role of leaders and leader preparation programs. CA Teacher Residency Lab Symposium, San Francisco, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. & Rosenthal, L. (Sept 2022). Social Justice Leadership Models. Presentation to visiting principals from University of Agder, UC Berkeley.
Sablo Sutton, S. (Aug 2022). Social Justice Leadership: Toward Inclusive Schools for All Students. International Graduate Master 's Seminar. Invitado por la Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile. [Virtual]
Sablo Sutton, S. (2022). Discussant: Student-Teacher Ethno-racial Match, Teacher Training, and Student Academic and Disciplinary Outcomes in New York City. American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2020). UCB Principal Leadership Institute: Educator Preparation Program Overview. Invited by University of Oregon, College of Education, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership Department. [Virtual]
Sablo Sutton, S. & Wetzel de Cediel, N. (2020). “Educational Leadership, Anti-racist Practice, and What’s Next”. Invited by Ed Prep Lab Fall Forum. University Council for Educational Administration Annual Conference. [Virtual}
Sablo Sutton, S. (2019). Leadership for Social Justice. International Graduate Master’s Seminar. Invited by Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2019). “Collective School Leadership: Towards a model of sustainable reform”. Invited by Universidad Católica Silva Henríquez, Santiago, Chile.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2019). “Pedagogical Mentoring & Coaching”. Invited by Universidad Diego Portales, Centro de Desarrollo de Liderazgo Educativo, Santiago, Chile.
Sablo Sutton, S. (2018). “Instructional Coaching”. Invited by Universidad Diego Portales, Centro de Desarrollo de Liderazgo Educativo, Santiago, Chile.
Professional Experience
Principal, Roosevelt Elementary School, San Leandro Unified School District (2014-2017)
Assistant Principal, Wilson and Jefferson Elementary, San Leandro Unified School District (2013-2014)
K-12 Instructional Coach, San Leandro Unified School District (2012-2013)
Elementary Teacher, San Leandro & Oakland Unified School Districts (2006-2012)
Regional Director, Kaplan K12 Learning Services (2001-2006)
Interests and Professional Affiliations
Educational Equity
Urban School Leadership
Principalship
School Supervision and Evaluation
Instructional Coaching and Mentoring
International Education Reform
Literacy in Non School Settings
Coordinator, California Administrator Performance Assessment (2019-present)
