Director, Black Educators Initiative
National Center for Teacher Residencies
Keilani Goggins is the Director of NCTR’s Black Educators Initiative. With a background in launching and managing large-scale projects, she believes in empowering teachers and strengthening public education. As the Director of Youth at the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, she played a pivotal role in introducing Girls Inc. to Nashville, aiming to empower young girls and provide them with opportunities for growth and development.
During her tenure as Assistant Director at Vanderbilt University's Center for Student Professional Development, she worked closely with pre-service student teachers, helping them navigate their career paths and develop essential professional skills. She also served as the inaugural Director of the Hope Street Group Teacher Fellowship, where she supported and advocated for teachers, fostering collaboration and elevating their voices in education policy discussions.
In January 2019, Keilani joined the Strategic Growth team at the National Center for Teacher Residencies, and assumed the role of Director of the Black Educators Initiative in 2021. In this capacity, Keilani leads a transformative five-year, $20M initiative aimed at recruiting, preparing, and retaining 750 Black educators. She designs and delivers customized programming, support, and technical assistance to 30 BEI grantees, while also cultivating external partnerships to scale the initiative's best practices.
Born and raised in Tennessee, Keilani is a proud product of Tennessee's public schools. Her deep commitment lies in empowering teachers, fostering strong partnerships, and bolstering public education. She holds a graduate degree from Tennessee State University, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is currently pursuing her doctorate at Trevecca Nazarene University.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MST