Our show today is on equity in education particularly for children in grades K-12. Our guests today Dr. Avis Williams and Dr. Brenda Elliott have spent their careers as Education Equalizers and I am glad to have them with us.

Dr. Avis Williams is an award-winning superintendent of Historic Selma City Schools in Selma, AL. A native of Salisbury, NC, she has served in leadership positions in the U.S. Army, as an entrepreneur and school administrator.

She received her undergraduate degree from Athens State University, master’s from Alabama A&M and Jacksonville State Universities, education specialist degree and her doctorate from the University of Alabama. She taught English and Physical Education and coached dance team and track.

Dr. Williams has been an elementary, middle and high school principal. She was the executive director of curriculum and instruction in Greensboro, North Carolina where she led instruction for over 60 schools. Prior to moving to Selma, she served as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Tuscaloosa City Schools in Alabama.

Dr. Williams was awarded the Marbury Technology Innovation award by the AL State Department of Education in 2011 as a principal and 2019 as superintendent. Dr. Avis Williams is the 2020 AL ABSE, Dr. Ulysess Byas Superintendent of the Year and a 2019 finalist for Alabama State Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Brenda (Bren) Elliott grew up poor on a small farm in North Carolina and credits those challenging life circumstances as key to her success in addressing the needs of our most vulnerability and historically marginalized students in public schools. She currently serves as DC Public Schools’ Chief of School Improvement and Supports, where she leads key strategic equity levers to include Talent Development, the school-based leader and staff evaluation program (IMPACT), School Improvement initiatives, Equity Strategy and Programming and Student Supports.

Prior to coming to DCPS, Bren served as Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services for Wake County Public Schools System (WCPSS), the largest school district in North Carolina and the 16th largest school district in the nation. In this position, Bren oversaw the Office of Early Learning, the Counseling & Student Support department, the Alternative & Extended Learning department, and the Student Due Process Office for the district’s more than 160,000 students and 180 schools. While WCPSS, she led the district-wide implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports and the development of a Comprehensive Plan for Equitable Disciple Practices to address an OCR inquiry requiring disproportionate suspension and law enforcement contact with black students.