James Knight is an educator, coach/mentor, consultant, author, itinerant speaker/teacher, and equity and inclusion strategist. He resides in Ohio outside of Cleveland. Much of his work revolves around leading with humility and partnering with other leaders to build dynamic and inclusive communities/spaces where people collaborate, innovate, and engage in fearless dialogue.
As an equity and inclusion strategist, James works with leaders, schools, organizations, and individuals in the corporate, nonprofit, governmental and academic sector to develop frameworks rooted in humility. The primary goal of this work is to assist others in building safe environments where everyone can thrive and bring their best selves. As an author, James has written numerous books and his latest release is entitled Heart: A Journey Toward Cultural Humility. This book is a manual and guide for any leader, student, or person looking to develop greater awareness and increase their emotional and cultural intelligence.
As Vice President for Equity and Inclusion at St. Edward High School, James leads the development of vision and strategies that champions the importance of a diverse and inclusive community. Part of his work involves engaging faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni in order to make the school a culturally safe environment. In his role, James assesses the potential barriers to inclusion and diversity; develops strategies focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse community.
In addition to his work at St. Edward, James has served as a teacher, coach, pastor and is the founder and leader of I.D.E.A.S., a coalition of DEI practitioners and directors throughout Ohio.
James’ passion is people and he sees himself as a servant-leader. His personal mission by which he does everything is “education + empowerment = elevation.” James’ number one goal in everything he does is to elevate those he serves through education and inspiration. He holds a Bachelor of the Arts Degree from Oberlin College and a Masters of Education Degree from Ashland University. He is presently a doctoral candidate at Ashland University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
