rafranz davis

Activist, Educator/Teacher, Parent, Technologist, Writer/Editor

Rafranz Davis is the Executive Director of Professional and Digital Learning for Lufkin ISD in Texas. In this role, she supports growth for staff and students through innovative programming including pathways of digital leadership and STEAM focused opportunities for students. She is the author of the book, The Missing Voices in Edtech: Bringing Diversity into Edtech, which was released January 2015 through Corwin Press’ Connected Educator Series. As a national speaker, Rafranz uses her voice to challenge those in the greater education community on topics such as diversity, equity and closing the opportunity gap for marginalized communities. She has spoken around the country for multiple organizations including, ISTE, many of its affiliates, Microsoft’s Hack the Classroom and The White House. Most recently, Rafranz served as the 2016 emcee of Digital Learning Day Live where she shared nationally recognized stories through the lens of Digital Equity. Rafranz serves in advisory roles for multiple technology initiatives and the greater edtech community as the chairperson of ISTE’s digital equity network as well as the Educolor collective from an equity in edtech lens.

I'm passionate about working outside of your comfort zone. Doing what makes us completely comfortable is easy. Doing something that involves using skills that you may not have just yet is empowering. This is where growth comes from.

Teachers need to learn in ways that are real and relevant to them just as much as students. They should also have a strong voice in how that learning happens, down to the plan itself which should be individualized, flexible and reflective...creating the type of learning that we need for students through their teachers. This type of thinking can revolutionize entire school districts, creating a culture of growth driven by the learner.

creativity, digital equity, diversity, edtech, equity, growth, leadership, math, math education, technology

TED has always been motivating to me as a person. I watched my Netflix playlist for hours and it honestly helped me to see that we are all placed in this world for a purpose bigger than ourselves but deeply drenched in our own spirits, passions and dreams and yet most of it should have some profound effect on someone other than us. None of which happens when we keep our stories to ourselves. Sharing fills the world with possibilities. TED gave me that.

Playing the flute