Dr. Howard is passionate about the power of expectations; she believes all students deserve teachers and leaders who believe in their potential and work tirelessly to meet their needs.  

Throughout her career in education, Dr. Howard has focused on implementing strong systems to drive organizational effectiveness and eliminate barriers to student success. She prides herself on asking questions that get to the heart of the matter and finds joy in making connections between a school’s mission, goals, and day-to-day operations.

Dr. Howard brings 20 years of experience in district and charter public schools to AUL. Prior to taking on the role of Interim Chief Administrator, she worked as a consultant supporting program and process improvement strategies in schools and charter authorizing agencies across the U.S. Earlier in her career, Dr. Howard launched a capacity-building initiative for nonprofit organizations preparing to support new schools while serving as Senior Director for Partner Relations in the New York City Department of Education’s portfolio office where she also reviewed applications for new district and charter schools. Her areas of expertise include: senior leadership coaching, board governance, use of assessment data, and organizational capacity. Her research background includes studies of anti-bullying programs as well as teacher efficacy and expectation. 

Having completed undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Howard remains a loyal Tar Heel.  She earned her doctorate from the University of Georgia where she became a rabid Bulldog football fan before completing a fellowship in Clinical-Community Psychology at Yale University.  Dr. Howard also holds a Master of Arts from Boston College.