Dr. Latish Reed, a senior equity leadership consultant, has a career spanning over two decades. She served as the Milwaukee Public School’s first equity leader hired in January 2016. In her role, she supported the organization by building the capacity to address issues of marginalization and creating an equity policy that was unanimously passed by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors. During her tenure at MPS, Dr. Reed was also a professional development manager. In the summer of 2020, she orchestrated the first summer virtual leadership institute where over 1,200 district and school leaders logged on. She developed subsequent virtual professional learning opportunities for the entire organization. Dr. Reed also served as a talent development specialist where she enacted equity by supporting the licensing process to increase the numbers of certified teachers. 

Before becoming a school district administrator, Dr. Reed was an assistant professor of School Administration at both the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, respectively. Her research centered on the cultural and social factors that impact school organization and leadership. Dr. Reed also served as a college admissions counselor, MPS middle school teacher, and school administrator. She received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from The University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master’s degree in Middle School Teaching from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Marquette University. 

While her professional context is education, her expertise spans across all institutions. Dr. Reed has had opportunities to speak and consult with corporations, healthcare professionals, and county government agencies about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has been honored for her teaching and equity work with a School of Education Teaching Award, The “To Do What is Just” Award, and The Milwaukee Community School Partnership Champion Award.

Dr. Reed is currently working on a consumable DEI workbook entitled, Black, white, and shades of gray: Navigating the complexities of leading for equity.  With the proliferation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), this book provides both theoretical and practical insights to addressing equity within the work setting, but also one’s personal journey. Through personal and professional vignettes, she introduces the Equity Empowerment Continuum (EEC) using black, white, and shades of gray to describe various actions or lack thereof that can lead to change on different levels. The last chapter is a call to action for readers to lean into their spheres of influence to lead authentic change in their workplace and personal lives. This book will empower a diverse audience seeking equity at various levels.

In her spare time, Dr. Reed enjoys various theater, vocal, performing, and visual arts with her family and enjoys creating social media content. She is the proud mother Zion who is bright, intelligent, funny, and the apple of his mom’s eye.

Consulting & Speaking Expertise:

~ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Organizational and Individual Coaching

~ Organizational Equity Audits

~ Equity Policy Development and Strategic Planning & Implementation

~ Equity Workshop Facilitation

~ Keynote and Lunch & Learn Speaking Engagements

Featured Speaking Engagements

Reed, L. (2022). Black, white & shades of gray: Navigating the complexities of the DEI landscape. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Northeastern Region Meeting, virtual. 
Reed, L. (2022). Diversity Workshop Facilitator: Developing a Culturally Responsive Lens in Coaching, College Possible, Milwaukee, WI. 
Reed, L. (2021). Diversity Workshop Facilitator: How does bias show up in your practice? BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Glendale, WI. 
Reed, L. (2019). Diversity Workshop Facilitator: Understanding Diversity & Inclusion and How to be an ally using your privilege & identity, Lake Shore Veterinary Specialists, Glendale, WI. 

Refereed Publications

Swaminathan, R., & Reed, L. (2019). Mentor Perspectives on Mentoring New School Leaders. Journal of School Leadership, 30(3), 219-237. doi:10.1177/1052684619884785

Peters-Hawkins, A. L., Reed, L., & Kingsberry, F. (2017). Dynamic Leadership Succession: Strengthening Urban Principal Succession Planning. Urban Education, 0042085916682575.

Reed, L. (2015). Post-Brown school reforms for Black children: Are they new remedies to “The Remedy?” International Journal of Educational Reform. 

Reed, L., & Swaminathan, R. (2014). An Urban School Leader’s Approach to School Improvement Toward Contextually Responsive Leadership. Urban Education, 0042085914553675. 

Reed, L. (2012). The intersection of race and gender in school leadership for three Black female principals. The International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 25(1), 39-58. 

Reed, L. & Johnson, L. T. (2010). Serving LGBT students: Examining the spiritual, religious and social justice implications for an African American school administrator. Journal of Negro Education, 79(3), 390-404. 

Reed, L. & Evans, A. E. (2008). “What you see is [not always] what you get!” Dispelling race and gender leadership assumptions. The International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 21(5), 487-499. 

Reed L. (2008). An expansion of a scholar’s social justice perspective: A meeting at the crossroads. Journal of School Leadership, 18(2), 164-187.