Belonging Together

An internationally-recognized student success scholar, highly acclaimed public speaker, and award-winning writer, Dr. Strayhorn is author of 14 books and over 200+ book chapters and journal articles and other scholarly publications. He has given thousands of invited keynotes and lectures at more than 2,000+ universities, schools, companies, and conferences across the globe. Funds exceeding $10 million have supported his research program. Professor, center director, and principal investigator, Strayhorn is Editor of Frontiers in Education (Higher Education Specialty) and sits on several non-profit boards including Minds Beyond Measure, Rainbow Labs, Psychologists of Color, MEN Inc. (Houston), and MCT Educational Foundation, to name a few.

With an unyielding commitment to transforming the lives of adults, children, communities, and school systems, Dr. Ruby brings over 23 years of experience in education and leadership. She has held multiple senior roles, including Associate Vice President for Equity and Leadership Development at the New York City Leadership Academy (NYCLA), Deputy Superintendent, Senior Executive Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer for the New York City Department of Education. She currently serves as Superintendent in Residence at McGraw Hill, where she continues her mission of advancing learning outcomes, leadership, and systemic transformation.

Doug is a credentialed teacher and administrator in California. He has published over 250 books, chapters, and articles focused on school improvement and was elected into the Reading Hall of Fame in 2022.  He is also a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College (HSHMC), an award-winning, open-enrollment public school in San Diego he co-founded in 2007.

With over 20 years of experience in education and public policy, Brandon is a transformative leader dedicated to closing achievement and opportunity gaps. His career has spanned roles as a teacher, school principal, policy advisor, and non-profit executive, consistently driving positive change. In his current role as President at Mrs Wordsmith, Brandon is leading a pioneering approach to literacy education by merging science-backed learning methods with innovative video game technology.

Carol Jago has taught English in public schools for 32 years and is associate director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA. Ms. Jago has received numerous recognitions for her work and has served as president of the National Council of Teachers of English and as chair of the College Board’s English Academic Advisory committee.

With over 20 years of experience in education and public policy, Brandon is a transformative leader dedicated to closing achievement and opportunity gaps. His career has spanned roles as a teacher, school principal, policy advisor, and non-profit executive, consistently driving positive change. In his current role as President at Mrs Wordsmith, Brandon is leading a pioneering approach to literacy education by merging science-backed learning methods with innovative video game technology.Dr. Carranza most recently served as Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation, where he oversaw the education of 1.1 million students across more than 1,800 schools. With over three decades of service in public education, Dr. Carranza has held leadership roles at every level. Dr. Carranza began his career as a bilingual social studies and music teacher, later becoming a high school principal in both Tucson, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada.