As we mark our third year of operation, Voice4Equity celebrates a remarkable 2024 filled with growth and achievement in our mission to increase the representation of women in superintendent positions and empower women for policy leadership.
Our organization draws inspiration from the Flamboyan Tree, found in Puerto Rico, Madagascar, and beyond. Like this tree that provides a gathering place for women to support and advance their communities, our work focuses on three key areas: policy leadership, networking, and research and data.
Policy Leadership Achievements
Our Policy Leadership Academy saw significant growth, with three cohorts completing the program and receiving digital credentials. Many graduates went on to present policy-focused sessions at major national conferences including AASA, CGCS, ALAS, and various regional events.
The Girls Policy Network reached several milestones this year:
- Secured trademark protection for our fully vetted curriculum
- Hosted a showcase event at the U.S. Department of Education, featuring 100 high school girls from nine school districts
- Expanded presence across multiple states including Arizona, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia
- Facilitated student interactions with members of Congress and Biden Administration leaders
We continued providing executive coaching services to women superintendents, cabinet members, and school principals, applying proven leadership development models to education leadership.
Networking Expansion
Our networking initiatives flourished in 2024:
- Successfully hosted the 2nd annual When Women Lead educational conference in Vancouver, Washington, attracting 250 leaders from 36 states and Canada
- Maintained strong national presence through policy-focused events for superintendents of color, including a Superintendents of Color Ally convening in San Diego
- Delivered keynote presentations and training sessions on AI, technology, equity approaches, and executive leadership development
- Published twelve monthly issues of Stories We Must Tell profiling successful educational leaders, reaching over 2,000 readers monthly
- Expanded strategic partnerships with public and private organizations for policy, technology, and leadership webinars
- Recognized three Equity Warriors and one Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
Research and Data Impact
We advanced our research agenda through:
- Widespread presentation of our Culturally Responsive Policy Ecosystem (CRPE) Framework at regional and national conferences
- Policy expertise contribution to national organizations, including support for the USDOE and Puerto Rico Department of Education partnership on decentralization
- Collaborative presentations of historical data on women in the superintendent seat with The Superintendent Lab
- Collected data from superintendents nationally on their policy research work and needs to inform our focus and design work
Looking Ahead
2025 promises continued growth with planned expansions including:
- Tech, Power and Equity conference
- School board governance training
- District-embedded Girls Policy Network opportunities
- Expansion of the Women Superintendent Policy Academy to 6 cohorts
- Build out of Wellness Corner
To learn more about engaging with our team of experts, contact scheduler Raquel Vasquez at raquel@voice4equity.com to set up an appointment with Dr. Christina Kishimoto.
