The Courage to Lead
Inspiring principals and system leaders to navigate complexity with clarity, purpose, and hope.
Why This Space Matters
The Courage to Lead has never felt more real to me than during my years as a principal. Of all the positions I’ve held throughout my career — from classroom teacher and special educator to K-12 director, consultant, and faculty member — serving as a school principal was both the most rewarding and the most challenging.
The principal’s role sits at the intersection of everything that shapes a school: Academic achievement, student well-being, staff development, parent and community partnerships, funding, and safety. It requires not only vision and stamina, but also the courage to make difficult decisions, lead through crisis, and still find joy in the daily connections with students and staff.
I know firsthand the weight of this responsibility — and the deep conviction it takes to keep believing that every child deserves an excellent education, even when the challenges feel overwhelming.
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
My journey has taken me from classrooms in Utah and California to leadership roles in Singapore and Beijing, and most recently as principal of an elementary school in Northern California. Each setting brought unique challenges — from launching new MTSS frameworks and designing professional learning systems, to addressing issues of equity, student attendance, and family engagement.
Through these experiences, one truth has been consistent: Leadership is about building systems that empower people. Teachers, students, and families thrive when leaders create clarity, align resources, and foster cultures of belonging.
What This Space Will Be
This blog — The Courage to Lead — is created as a space where principals and system leaders can:
Reflect honestly on the real challenges of leading schools today
Access practical resources that simplify complex problems like MTSS implementation, attendance, and instructional leadership
Learn from lived experience, research, and the wisdom of a global community of leaders
Stay connected in a profession that too often feels isolating
My hope is that this space becomes both practical and inspiring — a place where you find encouragement, strategies, and the reminder that you are not alone in this work.
Because at the heart of it all, the Courage to Lead is not just about managing systems — it’s about holding onto purpose and sustaining hope, even in the face of complexity.
“Courage is not the absence of fear — it’s the capacity to act despite it.”
