The case for making education organizations more diverse, inclusive and equitable has never been more urgent or compelling.

Organizations centered around these values are stronger - able to attract and retain top talent, outperform their peers, and produce better outcomes for students. Yet, most education organizations have far to go in their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journeys. They rarely represent the students they serve, and even organizations with intentionally diverse teams struggle to create truly inclusive environments where all team members and populations served feel heard, connected, and valued.

Recognizing that leaders want to advance DEI initiatives, but often struggle with how to get started or what to focus on, NewSchools Venture Fund enlisted Catalyst:Ed to create the “DEI Expert Hub.” The DEI Expert Hub informs and connects leaders of schools, school systems, nonprofits, funders, and ed tech companies with experts who bring deep experience assessing, designing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in education organizations.

About Catalyst:Ed

Catalyst:Ed is a national nonprofit that harnesses the collective expertise in education to help education organizations innovate, excel and scale, so all students have access to an excellent and equitable education.

About NewSchools Venture Fund

NewSchools Venture Fund is a national nonprofit that supports and invests in promising teams of educators, and entrepreneurs, who want to reimagine learning.

DEI Expert Hub Advisory Group

We are deeply grateful to our advisory group of education leaders, who helped inform the design and development of the DEI Expert Hub:
Amanda Fernandez, CEO, Latinos for Education
Caroline Hill, Chief of School Creation and Transformation, CityBridge
Josh Densen, CEO, Bricolage Charter School
Kerrien Suarez, Director, Equity in the Center
Kriste Dragon, ED, Citizens of the World
Mandela SH Dixon, Founder & CEO of Founder Gym
Melinda Spooner, Chief Talent and Equity Officer, ANet
Pamela Inbasekaran, COO, Relay
Scott Morgan, Founder & CEO, Education Pioneers
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General FAQs

Many of the projects currently listed on our website are the result of direct outreach by us. We invest significant effort into building relationships with education organizations around the country. We also get referrals from foundations, state agencies and associations. Finally, some of the projects have come to us via our network, with providers in our network reaching out to us when they hear of work that they are unable to take on.

Absolutely! Please use this form to refer a provider for inclusion in our network.

Our community of providers is comprised of DEI professionals who are eager to amplify their impact. Some are affiliated with organizations, while others work as independent consultants. Together, they bring deep experience assessing, designing, and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in education organizations and a shared commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sector.