Areas of Expertise: data storytelling, networked improvement communities, relationship building and managing

“I live and work by the proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I believe we can ensure equitable outcomes for historically underserved students, but we have to do it together.”

Dereck measures the impact and improvement of KnowledgeWorks’ personalized, competency-based learning efforts and equitable outcomes. He also uses measurement, data storytelling and continuous quality improvement approaches to help shape strategy and guide stakeholders through the “data learning journey” to take informed action.

Though Dereck would have loved to be a ballet dancer, his career has always been in his second passion – education. He started as a high school counselor before returning to school and earning his Master of Science in Social Work, with a concentration in Policy, from Columbia University. He previously served as the associate director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Assessment at Hostos Community College in the South Bronx, using analytical, strategic thinking and emotional intelligence skills to help the college transform and reimagine its assessment structures and culture. Dereck also worked as Senior Manager of Improvement Analytics and the first Chief of Staff at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, where he co-led a consortium of stakeholders to strengthen teacher development systems, designing and building a new data, assessment and improvement science infrastructure to guide the network in understanding impact.

Having trained in ballet in his youth, Dereck is a ballet fanatic – both classical and contemporary. His favorite ballet companies are the New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet.