A Letter from Incoming Southern California Director, Shauna Davis
I am truly honored to join the CATDC community and energized to continue evolving dynamic programs in partnership with CATDC’s forward-thinking team. As a participant in diverse CATDC workshops over the years, I continue to be impressed by their relevance to educators’ experiences and the resulting impact these programs can have in our schools. I share CATDC’s deep commitment to centering equity and look forward to visiting classrooms and working alongside my fellow educators to realize informed professional growth opportunities that inspire meaningful change and support the critical work taking place across California’s independent school campuses in service to our students.
CATDC’s strategic plan connects to my core values and vision for educational communities. I am dedicated to developing curricula, building teams, and leading programs that represent diverse identities and mindsets. Cultivating programs that center and advance equity necessitates reflection, personal and professional growth, and awareness of implicit biases. My long-time work in each of these areas will support the relationships and collaborations I look forward to building and will inform inclusive program curricula. Through bold and visionary work and meaningful partnerships, I have discovered that practices can transform, and I am eager to continue learning from and with an expanding network of colleagues in California’s independent schools.
As our individual communities unpack the past two years and the lasting impact on our communities, as we support our students’ reconnection and belonging in our institutions, we should also make space for this need within ourselves and redefine what this means for educators now. CATDC’s focus on building and sustaining community will be at the heart of my work. As an educational leader during the pandemic, I leveraged tools, platforms, and resources to bring colleagues and students together and to reimagine community. Now, in the ever-evolving landscape, I reflect on the expansive options we have to engage together and I am eager to realize these possibilities with the CATDC team.
My career began in the classroom; I spent a decade teaching elementary, middle, and high school students in North Carolina, rural France, and Los Angeles. In my current role as an administrator, I continue to teach. The students I taught and the students I teach today inform my work and inspire my growth. As I embark on this new role with CATDC, I am eager to learn about your experiences with students, to engage in meaningful professional growth alongside you, to evolve our practices, and to foster learning environments where our young people thrive.
Shauna Davis’ 20-year educational career is anchored in developing curricula and programs that expand perspectives and create meaningful change. She spent her formative years teaching in North Carolina, France, for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and at the Archer School for Girls. In 2012 Shauna joined the Marlborough School community as the Associate Director of Academic Technology, launching the Bring Your Own Laptop program and developing the hallmark Digital Education program. As the Director of Technology and Digital Education and member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team, Shauna led the transition to remote, then hybrid teaching and learning. Her longtime focus on professional growth and equity includes Social Venture Partners’ year-long antiracism cohort and the Museum of Tolerance’s Social Justice Standards Training in partnership with Learning for Justice. Shauna earned her B.A. in French from Davidson College and M.A. Ed. from Wake Forest University.