2025 Year-End Reflection
Before stepping into my first year as Executive Director of Higher Expectations, I knew I was signing up for a challenge. What I didn’t anticipate was just how often the word “unprecedented” would echo through my leadership journey. And yet, here we are—one year in, with countless opportunities to learn, grow, and reimagine what’s possible. Below are a few reflections from this first year of leading:
Collective action is transformative.
This year, Racine has shown what’s possible when schools, communities, and statewide partners come together to withstand leadership and political shifts while achieving bold, measurable progress:
The Wisconsin Partnership, a coalition of organizations like ours, helped secure $330M in early childhood education funding, a historic investment in children, families, and providers.
Collaboration at the FAFSA Summit unlocked opportunity, with educators and community champions helping students secure nearly $1M in aid, opening doors to post‑secondary success and family‑sustaining careers.
Parent leadership through Lunch & Learn reshaped school culture, strengthening bonds between families and educators, improving attendance, and affirming parents as essential partners in student success.
Leading in unprecedented times requires courage and creativity.
If this year taught me anything, it’s that the status quo is adjustable. Navigating “unprecedented” moments has been less about surviving disruption and more about embracing it as an invitation to reimagine systems. I’m grateful to lead a staff and network of partners who lean into change, expand opportunities, and keep building momentum toward greater economic mobility for all in Racine County.
Developing a supportive environment for growth.
One of my favorite lessons this year came from the crabshell analogy: as a crab grows, it must molt, shedding its shell and becoming vulnerable until a new one forms. Leadership, it turns out, works the same way. At Higher Expectations, we’ve faced transitions that required vulnerability, and in those moments, I was uplifted by the support of our Executive Committee, Leadership Tables, and my broader network of leaders. Growth is never comfortable, but with the right environment, it becomes not only possible—it becomes transformative.
Looking Ahead
As I step into year two, I carry forward both the lessons and the momentum of this first year. The work of transformation is never finished. It’s a long arc that requires persistence, creativity, and collective courage. Our focus now is on:
Strengthening dual credit pathways so more students can see themselves in post‑secondary education and beyond.
Expanding parent engagement models like Lunch & Learn, ensuring families remain at the center of educational success.
Increasing FAFSA completion rates to unlock even more financial aid and opportunity for Racine’s students.
The journey ahead will no doubt bring new challenges (and yes, probably more “unprecedented” moments). But with the resilience of our team, the dedication of our partners, and the belief that systems can be reimagined, I am energized to keep building toward greater economic mobility for all in Racine County. Growth may be uncomfortable, but it’s also exhilarating, and I can’t wait to see what we molt into next.
