The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
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She Impacts Students From 130 Countries who Speak 163 Languages: Meet Ashlee Saddler, Director, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education
What is your personal story?
I survive and thrive. Survival comes first as there are circumstances and events that test us and we must be strong enough to survive them. The beauty is being able to look back at the survival stories and embracing the moment where thriving becomes possible.
Early in my educational career, I was told by a sitting principal that I would never be an administrator. I love to hear what I’m never going to do! It was even sweeter to look this principal in her eyes when I was introduced as an assistant principal at a district meeting. Now, there are many catalysts for the comment this principal made about what I was never going to do. Many of us will be told what we cannot do but it is essential to have an internal fire that speaks otherwise. This principal showed me who I did not want to be as a leader and that learning was invaluable. Prior to entering school administration, I encountered disparaging comments and ill-intended actions but I also had a small, dedicated, and strong support network that continued to push me.
I greatly enjoyed my time as a principal. The principalship is one of the most rewarding, fulfilling, and life-giving careers in education. The principalship is also one of the most stressful positions in education. I was tasked with turning around a school community that was hurting in many ways and I was faced with incredible obstacles. In typical fashion, I threw myself into the work and within three years, I turned the school around.
The stress that accompanied the work was palpable. Shortly after completing that third year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was taking care of others but not myself. As of January 31, 2023, I am a 4-year breast cancer survivor. The journey taught me so much about true self-care, balance, and the importance of protecting my time. Once I completed radiation and my eighth surgery, I felt a signaling transition from survival to thriving.
Since entering educational leadership, I have learned so much about myself, including who I am as a Black woman, a learner, a leader, a breast cancer survivor, a mother, a wife, and a friend. In my mind, the act of thriving signals that the conditions have been set for a solid foundation from which to build, and the focus can shift to not just building myself but building others. As such, I have dedicated my work to developing quality, balanced, skilled, and impactful leaders who are dedicated to making a difference.
How do you embody inclusive leadership?
The summer before my first year as a principal, I attended a week-long intensive professional learning opportunity through the University of Virginia’s Partnership for Leaders in Education program. During that time, three words stuck with me from a presentation given by Dr. Alec Horniman. His three words were, “Invite”, “Include” and “Inspire”. I used these three words to establish the type of leader I wanted to be. When people feel connected to and part of the work, their talents and gifts blossom. I embody inclusive leadership by recognizing and celebrating the talents of others. By being inclusive, I have learned so much about being a leader.
Another aspect of leadership is listening. To develop a well-functioning and dynamic team, it is essential to listen to what people are saying and most importantly, what they are not saying. They need to know they are seen. When a person feels seen, they feel valued and when they feel valued, they can work towards their full potential.
What inspired you to work in education? What are your roles as a Director at Aurora Public Schools in Colorado?
Educational leadership is my second career. My first career was in mental health working with children and families, and I saw a need to impact children where they spent the majority of their time… school. I transitioned to school-based mental health and worked with students in kindergarten through eighth grade. I eventually transitioned into the Exceptional Students Services field to work with students with disabilities while working on my Master’s in Education. Other leaders saw potential in me and encouraged me to get my administrator’s license which prompted my path into educational leadership. As an aspiring leader, I had a vision for the school I desired to lead. I sought to realize a school that exemplified high expectations for students, where students, staff, and families had a voice in the direction of the school, and where mutual learning occurred. As the principal, my role was not to be the keeper of information but to foster an environment where we could be a community of risk-takers and learn and grow together.
As a principal of a preschool through eighth grade building, the multilingual learners in my building experienced significant success in achieving their linguistic goals. The proficiency and growth of our multilingual learners and dually identified students (students identified with a disability and multilingual) garnered recognition from other leaders and the district. As a result, I was asked by the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) team to consider the role as their director.
The decision to be the Director of the CLDE department proved to be a fantastic step as I am fortunate to lead the most talented, dedicated, intellectual, considerate, inspiring, and impactful team of professionals. As a team, we oversee and support the instructional programming of over 16,000 multilingual learners in 64 schools in the Aurora Public School District. Our students speak 163 different languages and are from 130 different countries.
Can you tell us more about your Ph.D. candidacy? How are you empowered by your program?
I am receiving a doctorate from Baylor University from their Educational Leadership program. It has been a monumental experience and I am so grateful for the learning that I have received from my program and my cohort. I will defend my dissertation in February 2023 and my study is centered on developing the self-efficacy of experienced principals through executive coaching as a mechanism to increase their retention within the principalship. My study centered on understanding how to develop leaders and provide them with the skills needed to navigate the complex educational landscape. I have engaged in many opportunities where the learning from my study has been realized and I am excited for what I may encounter in the next chapter of my journey.
How could GlobalMindED further support your efforts?
Through the GlobalMindED conference and network, I have engaged with a diverse group of professionals from across the country. It has been inspiring to connect with others in education who are champions for the same cause. I am passionate about supporting, uplifting, empowering, and preparing leaders. GlobalMindED values the diversity of thought and perspectives, and I am excited to be connected to an organization that espouses my same values.
At last year’s conference in Denver, I was truly inspired to hear from a panel of African American presidents of colleges and universities. They challenged my thinking and broaden my perspective on my potential next steps. I am typically filling the buckets of others and it was moving to have my bucket filled in such a monumental way. I look forward to uncovering additional ways to engage with professionals through GlobalMindED.
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First and Ten from the One Yard Line - Moving the Educational Justice and Reparations Ball Forward in the Black Community
Hear from champions and leaders doing the work to eliminate educational equity and exploring how to realistically attain the “Forty Acres and a Mule.” Learn about efforts, obstacles, and opportunities to ensure educational and economic equity become a true element of the lived experience of Black and African Americans.
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First and Ten from the One Yard Line - Moving the Educational Justice and Reparations Ball Forward in the Black Community, a Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable presentation
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Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System
Eric McDonnell; Chair, African American Reparations Advisory Committee, City and County of San Francisco
Dr. Christopher Mathis; Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, College of Law Professor
Sadé Cooper; Co-Founder & CEO Collaborative Healing Initiative within Communities
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Join us in Denver June 7-9 for GlobalMindED 2023 |
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Early Bird Registration Open Now
To get a feel for the conference experience, please see this brief video by The PhD Project from the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference
- GlobalMindED June 2022 DEI conference
- Complete 2022 Program
- Inclusive Leader Awards Program 2022
- 800+ attendees
- 140 students from 41 universities/colleges, 58 received scholarships
- 300+ speakers from 65 universities/colleges and 47 businesses
- 130 universities/colleges represented
- Majority of panels featured at least one student
- 74 % diverse speakers
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The GlobalMindED Inclusive Success NetworkTM had another banner year of growth, impact, and outcomes for First Generation, poverty-affected and minoritized students. Here are some of the highlights:
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Return of in-person GlobalMindED conference with record attendance and the largest First Gen Leadership Class ever of 122 student leaders. See PhD Project brief video of the event.
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Our fourth annual Inclusive Leader Awards recognized 15 DEIB leaders across sectors.
- Almost all our 100+ panels and sessions of 2022 featured a student.
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Of the 300+ speakers, 73% were diverse leaders sharing their thoughts.
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We held our first Industry Marketplace Career Exploration Arena at GlobalMindED 2022 with 40 companies, giving K-12, college students, educators, and leaders a way to learn about emerging fields and careers. Join us for the next one at GlobalMindED 2023.
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Our first satellite event at Georgia Institute of Tech was livestreamed via the Atlanta PBS affiliate.
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We became an official initiative of the Foundation for the Support the United Nations (FSUN) and will hold our first UN event on March 22, 2023.
- ·We served ten colleges with the GlobalMindED Success Collaborative connecting students at each HBCU, MSI, HIS and Tribal College with role models, mentors, internships, and jobs.
- We had partners/volunteers from Microsoft, Salesforce, Rubrik, HP, Stanford MBA and more.
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We spoke at the White House Initiative for HBCUs with sponsor Hewlett Packard.
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Our team, Board, Colorado Board and Executive Leadership Council are all majority diverse serving a majority diverse population of emerging leaders.
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We continued to publish our daily newsletter and conduct monthly virtual Equity events, led by people of color with majority diverse panelists and students. These are the role models for our students.
- Our annual operating budget increased by 67% emerging COVID strong.
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We doubled our staff from four to eight as we grow to scale our impact.
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Our Young Professionals grew to 40 strong, with a ten-person leadership cabinet made up of, but not limited to, graduates of our programs who are now working professionals.
- Since 2015, we have successfully connected 1,200+ students to internships and jobs.
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Our founder, Carol Carter, was recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal.
We are grateful for the support, inclusive leadership, and financial contributions of our community and sponsors who work tirelessly to open doors for the students we serve, the institutions who support them, and the businesses and non-profits who are committed to hiring a capable, diverse talent pipeline. We look forward to seeing all of you June 7-9 at our best event yet, GlobalMindED 2023 - Transforming Boundaries: Creating Systemic Access and Equity. The Inclusive Leaders Awards Dinner is June 7, followed by the conference June 8- 9 at the Denver Downtown Sheraton.
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