Jennifer Gonzalez-SumerfordExecutive Director of Partner Success

She has spent over 26 years in public education and knows how a school system works from the inside. She began in the classroom as a paraprofessional, teacher, and coach, then moved into administrative leadership as Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, Campus Principal, and district-level Language Acquisition Coordinator.

That background lets Jennifer connect district strategy to classroom practice. Having served in roles from the classroom to the school office, she knows how hard it is to put a new initiative in place and what change asks of educators. She brings empathy to every partnership: she knows the courage it takes for teachers to try new methods, and the resilience administrators need to carry their staff through change.

Her aim is to help educators build authentic, student-centered classrooms. Jennifer believes that when leaders and teachers have the right support, they can reach every student. She takes pride in working alongside partner districts to put in place the structures and high-leverage support they need to deliver equitable, high-quality instruction.

Today, Jennifer works with district leaders on system-wide improvements, including the Effective Schools Framework and the implementation of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). She leads executive coaching, facilitates Strong Foundations projects, and supports Multilingual Learner (MLL) initiatives. Her work ties district strategy to specific classroom practices and keeps projects on track to meet ambitious student achievement goals.