Travis J. Bristol is an associate professor of teacher education and education policy in Berkeley’s School of Education and (by courtesy) the Department of African American Studies. He is also the faculty director of the Center for Research on Expanding Educational Opportunity. Before joining Berkeley's faculty, he was a Peter Paul Assistant Professor at Boston University. Using qualitative methods, Dr. Bristol explores three...
With a distinguished 28-year career in education, Veronica Valerio is a dedicated leader championing academic excellence and the holistic development of all students from TK - 12th grade from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. Her journey includes over a decade of leadership experience as a Spanish bilingual teacher, Literacy Coach, Vice Principal, Principal and in director-level roles within diverse school districts and county offices.
Veronica’s expertise in multilingual and Special Education programs, reflects her unwavering commitment to accelerating outcomes for all learners. She has...
Joel Key is an educator, school leader, and systems designer with over two decades of service in public education. As a doctoral student in the Berkeley School of Education's Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD), Joel is exploring promising practices, pedagogies, and partnerships for teacher retention and post-secondary pathways. He currently serves as Associate Director of Talent and Human Resources at Envision Education, where he leads equitable recruitment, teacher development, and strategic partnerships across a network of schools committed to transformational outcomes for first-...
Anthony Whitten is a doctoral student in Cohort 3 of the Leaders for Equity and Democracy program. Anthony’s research interests include access to and equity in graduate study for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
Anthony has a education career spanning 21 years, including secondary and higher education. Currently serving as the Director of Diversity Admissions at Berkeley Haas, he works across all Haas undergraduate and graduate degree programs strengthening the diversity partnerships and pipelines used to build diverse classes.
Han Phung is a transformative educational leader whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to equity, instructional excellence, and organizational coherence. With over two decades of experience in public education, she has led complex urban systems through change by blending strategic management with human-centered leadership.
Previously, as Interim Chief of Secondary Schools for San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Han Phung managed five executive leaders overseeing 30 secondary schools serving 25,000 students. In this role, she spearheaded a comprehensive staffing...
Note: I have retired from teaching and (with mixed emotions) no longer accept graduate students.
Bruce Fuller, a sociologist, delves into how institutions, large and small, try to lift the learning and growth of children. This prompts the question of how local actors, educators, and policy players can work smarter to lift organizations.
Recent work delves into:
The policy strategies deployed by the Trump Administration to erode the vitality of middle and low-income families. For example,...
Irma Muñoz Daniels (she/her/ella) is a doctoral student in Cohort 2 of the Leaders in Equity and Democracy program. Irma’s research interests include school leadership, student success, and school leader resilience in alternative school settings.
After earning an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree and teaching credential from Stanford University, Irma began her career in 1996 as a Spanish teacher. After earning a second master’s degree and administrative credential from the Principal Leadership Institute at the University of...
Ivon is an educational leader with over a decade of experience dedicated to advancing equity and justice in early childhood education. Her diverse roles—including teacher, director, founder of private centers and family child cares, and Head Start coordinator—have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the early childhood sector. As an equity-driven leader and edupreneur, Ivon is committed to serving historically marginalized children and families across various early childhood settings.
Ankita Rakhe (she/her) is a doctoral student in Cohort 2 of the Leaders in Equity and Democracy program. She has been a Student Affairs practitioner for 20 years with a deep investment in diversity, equity and inclusion advocacy; conflict mediation and restorative justice; and leadership coaching. She has previously worked at The Ohio State University; Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas); Santa Clara University and Stanford University. She currently works here at the University of California, Berkeley as the Associate Dean for Student Engagement where she oversees a cluster of...
With nearly 30 years in education, Sara Stone has held roles as an elementary and middle school teacher, principal, network superintendent, assistant superintendent, and currently, superintendent of Albany Unified School District. Throughout her career, she has prioritized creating safe, inclusive, and academically rigorous environments that empower students for success. Sara is an adaptive, empathetic leader who values data-driven decision-making, strong communication, and relational skills to drive continuous improvement. She is a hands-on leader, spending significant time in schools and...
