Education Leadership Advisory Board
The Education Leadership Advisory Board (ELAB) in Howard University’s School of Education is a national body of scholars and practitioners that provide best practice research and practical application advice to university faculty and students. Organized in 2012, ELAB is meant to provide a voice for open communication among university and school partners by providing a forum where education leadership faculty and students are guided by discourse related to problems of practice in education leadership. The intent is that this continuous dialogue will promote a healthy partnership and improvements at the university, district, and school level. We envision a leadership program where university faculty and P-12 education leaders work together in the spirit of cooperation to promote a positive change that produces effective educational leaders for the 21st century.
Jerenze Campbell, M.Ed.- Under the leadership of Principal Jerenze Campbell, Whitehall Elementary School in Bowie was named a Blue Ribbon School in January, 2012 by the Maryland State Department of Education, one of only six schools in the state and the only school in Prince George’s County Public Schools. He has been the principal since 2005 and has a total of 15 years as an educator.
James Earl Davis, Ph.D.- Dr. James Earl Davis is the interim Dean of the College of Education at Temple University. His research focuses on gender and schooling outcomes; men, boys and masculinity; sociology of higher education; and applied research methods. He is particularly interested in issues of access and equity in the educational pipeline as they are informed by gender, race, class, and the intersection of these social locations.
Lisa Grillo , Ed.D.- Dr. Lisa Grillo is the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services in Wake County Public Schools, NC. She previously served as principal of the Mamie D. Lee School in the District of Columbia Public Schools.
Quentin Lawson , MA/M.Ed.- Mr. Quentin Lawson is the Chief Executive Officer of the largest network of African American educators in the United States, the National Alliance of Black School Educators. He develops and manages professional development, research and policy programs, and additional duties for an annual conference attracting nearly 4,000 educators.
Blanche D. Maness, MA- Blanche D. Maness has served as vice chairman of the Alexandria City Public Schools, School Board District C. She was an employee of ACPS for 34 years until her retirement as a school principal in 2001.
Cristóbal Rodriguez , Ph.D. - Dr. Cristóbal Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor of Educational Management & Development at New Mexico State University and the Associate Director of Graduate Student Development at the University Council for Education Administration.
Pamela Shetley , Ed.D. - Dr. Pamela Shetley is the Director of the Office of Talent Development in Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD. She is the former assistant principal at Montgomery Blair High School and Briggs Chaney Middle School.
Theodore L. Thompson, Ed. D.- Dr. Theodore L. Thompson, III is Deputy Chief for the Office of School Turnaround, in the Office of the Chief of Schools for DC Public Schools. Prior to taking the Deputy Chief position at DCPS, Dr. Thompson held the position of Deputy Chief Academic Officer for the School District of Philadelphia, managing the Office of Secondary School Reform. He has also served as a K-12 principal in the Columbus City School District for one of the first public, African-centered schools in the country.
Olga Welch , Ed.D. - Dr. Olga Welch began her role as dean of the School of Education at Duquesne University in July, 2005. Welch was a professor in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, where she also served as interim head of the Educational Administration and Policy Studies Department, and head of the Counseling, Deafness and Human Services Department. Her extensive research and publication record centers on executive mentoring, social justice, equity, and diversity.