Deonna Smith is a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Consultant at Deonna Smith Consulting where she works with schools and mission-driven organizations who are looking to increase their capacity for equity-driven decision making and outcomes.
Deonna describes her experience in the Ed.D. Program as the "missing piece” in her professional preparation. She had first-hand experience as a student and as a teacher, but once she became a scholar in the program, she began to more deeply understand the systemic nature of educational injustice, and how to break it down. Her research is focused on building an abolitionist mindset and anti-racist toolbox for white teachers. This research responds to the overrepresentation of white teachers in the US workforce and builds upon research suggesting that teachers can be powerful agents of change in education. Her work focuses on leveraging the skills that white teachers bring and expanding them to help white teachers transition from allies to abolitionists.