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Dena Simmons, Ed.D., is a lifelong activist, educator and student of life. A native of the Bronx, New York, Dena grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with her two sisters and immigrant mother. There, Dena learned and lived the violence of injustice and inequity and decided to dedicate her life to educating and empowering others. As the director of implementation at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, she works with schools to use the power of emotions to create a more effective and compassionate society. Prior to her work at the Center, Dena served as an educator, teacher educator

Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn, Ed.D., is Learning for Justice’s associate director for learning in schools. Sarah has experience teaching at both the secondary and elementary levels and in 2011 was named Teacher of the Year at Lakeside Upper Elementary School in Lake Village, Arkansas. As a teacher educator, her areas of focus have included classroom culture, learning environments, and diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Sarah has an M.A. in Social Justice and Education from University College London’s Institute of Education and her doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. She is based out of

Davey Shlasko is the founder and director of Think Again Training & Consulting, a consulting group that supports purpose-driven organizations to address inequities through collaborative strategies for meaningful change. Davey’s work has supported schools, universities, health care and human service providers, advocacy organizations, and businesses to integrate principles and practices of social justice into their planning and everyday action. Davey has an M.Ed. in social justice education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and teaches as an adjunct associate professor in social

Romina Pacheco (she/ella) is the director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at the Windward School. She is an educator who facilitates learning on issues of equity and social justice with professionals, students and community members of all ages. Romina has decades of experience in educational leadership, including serving as an internal and external DEIB expert in K-12, higher ed and nonprofit settings. Romina has a Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in curriculum and instruction and gender and sexuality studies and an M.Ed. in social justice education from the University of