A Seat at the Table: How Can We ‘Disagree Better’? A Roadmap for Educators

Commissioner of Education in Colorado from 2016- 2023, Dr. Katy Anthes is widely respected for her commitment to listen to diverse perspectives and develop solutions that are founded on productive middle ground. Keeping students’ best interests as her top priority, she focuses on providing high quality expertise and support to policymakers, districts and educators working to enhance student achievement. As Commissioner, Anthes worked with the Colorado State Board of Education, the Legislature and the Governor to craft and implement a vision of education for Colorado. She led the Colorado Department of Education, an $8 billion dollar agency, dedicated to helping districts achieve great things for students. During her time as Commissioner, she served on the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Board of Directors and the Education Commission of the States (ECS), Steering Committee.

Dr. Eli Gottlieb is a cultural psychologist and advisor to government and nonprofit organizations on leadership and strategy. He is a visiting professor at the Interdisciplinary Institute of Innovation at Télécom Paris and a senior fellow at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University.

Dr. Andrea M. Kane is a professor of practice in educational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. At the K-12 level, she has held many instructional roles from para-professional to her most recent position as school superintendent for Queen Anne’s County, Md. As an educator, she has received numerous awards for leading large suburban, urban, and small rural districts, including the Maryland Governor’s Citation for instructional leadership. In 2020 and 2021, every school in her district received Green School certification by the Maryland Association of Environmental Outdoor Education.