Dr. Crystal P. Ward

Change Agent, Consultant, Designer, Doctor, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Gay, Life mentor

Dr. Crystal Ward believes in the unbounded potential of all children and is dedicated to creating the schools and systems that ensure all young people reach their individual excellence and fulfill their most audacious dreams. As the child of an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Ward grew up across two continents and five states, experiencing the drastic differences in rural, suburban, and urban schooling at each duty station. In 10th grade, Dr. Ward enrolled in an elite private preparatory school where her awareness and understanding of inequitable systems were displayed before her in every classroom, sports match, and interaction with the privileged 1%. Dr. Ward’s commitment to educational equity and economic justice were born out of this first-hand experience of the undeniable ways wealth and access are inequitably earned, distributed, and passed on from one generation to the next. As a teacher, Dr. Ward's 6th graders averaged 2 years of learning growth in science, social studies, and literacy through non-fiction standards. As a school leader, Dr. Ward founded a top-performing elementary school in Brooklyn, NY, where students achieved proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math at 26 and 34 percentage points higher than the state average. As a network leader, Dr. Ward was responsible for leadership development for deans across 32 schools and 3 states, where she was able to close the 20 percentage point gap in satisfaction between BIPOC leaders and their white peers. Recognizing the complexities of what it takes to tackle systemic issues, Dr. Ward returned to school to earn her Doctorate in Education Leadership from Harvard University. Currently, as a system leader and entrepreneur, Dr. Ward remains committed to engaging in work that untethers one’s racial identity and socioeconomic status to their access and ability to get an exceptional education, build wealth, and pursue opportunities that lead to a fulfilling life.

Executive Leadership, Leadership Development, Organizational Culture, School Culture, School Innovation, Strategic Thought Partnership