Tami Dean

Tami Dean, Ed.D. has a diverse and extensive work experience in the field of education. Tami currently holds the position of Director of Educational Partnerships at RethinkEd, where they focus on building collaborative relationships in the educational sector. Tami is also the Founder and CEO of Dragonfly Rising LLC, where they support educators and educational leaders in integrating equity and social justice into their classrooms and schools.

Previously, Tami worked at engage2learn as the Executive Director of Partner Success, where they played a key role in enhancing partnerships and ensuring success for stakeholders. Tami also held roles as a Certified eGrowe Coach and Learning Designer at the same company.

Prior to engage2learn, Tami served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Austin College, where they introduced innovative instructional practices and integrated new technologies into courses to enhance student learning. Tami also supervised and mentored new teachers during their time there.

Tami's work experience also includes serving as an Assistant Professor of Education at Austin College, where they developed streamlined systems for program enhancement and integration of online learning. Tami also contributed to the professional development of over 120 K-12 teachers as an Educational Consultant at the Regional Office of Education 17.

Additionally, they have held roles at the University of Northern Iowa as an Assistant Professor of Literacy, at University High School as the Director of the U-Link Literacy and Learning Center/Literacy Specialist, and at Illinois State University as an Instructional Assistant Professor. At Illinois State University, they also worked as a Research Assistant and Doctoral Intern, focusing on exploring discursive practices with a new literacies framework.

Tami has also contributed to the field of education as a part-time faculty member at Walden University, teaching courses on qualitative methodology and literacy.

Overall, Tami Dean, Ed.D. has a wealth of experience in various educational roles, demonstrating a commitment to promoting equity, social justice, and innovative teaching practices.

Tami Dean, Ed.D. earned their Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Music from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1998. Tami went on to complete their Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Leadership from Saint Xavier University in 2002. Tami pursued further education and obtained their Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Illinois State University in 2012. Additionally, they completed a Post Doctorate program in Early/Emergent Literacy from Texas Woman's University from 2016 to 2017. Tami has also obtained various certifications, including an Illinois teaching certificate from the Illinois State Board of Education, an Apple Teacher certification, and Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2 certifications from Google. Tami is also certified in the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) by the Texas Education Agency.