Overview
In her nearly 30 years in education, Ayele Dodoo has taught and led at the school, district, and state levels. These experiences have solidified her expertise in high-quality teaching and learning for youths and adults, coaching and facilitation, and talent development. Currently, Dodoo’s work is focused on the expansion of WestEd’s national footprint as a provider of leadership development services. She believes that by nurturing competent leadership at every level of the educational system, it is possible to significantly improve outcomes for students, families, and communities. During her tenure at WestEd, Dodoo has overseen and participated in the conceptualization, design, and facilitation of more than 100 leadership networks with external partners and with WestEd colleagues.
Dodoo is designing content, strengthening her team’s skills, and influencing the sector with a variety of services focused on empowering leaders to set clear priorities, lead teams with efficacy, and create effective organizational structures. Two highly sought-after services are the School Leadership Team Networks’ Playbook for Leaders and the Supervisors of Principals Academy, both having been accessed by leaders in five states (AZ, CA, IL, NV, and UT). Dodoo is serving as co-PI for a SEED investment focused on diversifying the principal workforce in the state of Illinois and launching hyperlocal executive leadership networks in California. Dodoo also contributes to WestEd’s Learning and Development office through codesigning and facilitating leadership development learning opportunities for the agency’s more than 300 people managers.
Earlier in her tenure, Dodoo served as Network Director for WestEd’s Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning where she developed tools to support LEA leaders in bringing coherence to their systems as they implemented and scaled systemwide initiatives, including the Common Core State Standards. Prior to joining WestEd, Dodoo served as Director of Secondary Education, a position in which she set the vision and built systems to ensure that leaders could successfully lead the implementation of the California State Standards and College and Career pathways in middle and high schools.
Education
- EdD in educational leadership, University of California, Los Angeles
- MA in teaching history, Columbia University
- BA in history, Stanford University
Honors, Awards, and Affiliations
2023 Ed Myers Staff Recognition Award
