Co-Directors

Daniel Russell, Ed.D.

In 1994, Dr. Daniel Russell began his career in public education through Teach for America (TFA), and he participated in LAUSD’s district intern program. He first taught third through fifth grade at 99th Street Elementary School, where he also served as a teacher-facilitator for the Language Development Program for African American Students (LDPAAS), which later became AEMP,  as a BTSA mentor, as an SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) trainer, and as an EL coordinator. It was through LDPAAS/AEMP and the guidance of its then-director, Dr. Noma Lemoine, that Dr. Russell was introduced to culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) teaching. In 2002, his 5th-grade class was featured in a segment about African American Language (AAL) in the PBS documentary called Do You Speak American? In addition to working at 99th St., Dr. Russell also served as a founding teacher at Dr. Sharroky Hollie’s charter school, the Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS), where he taught fifth through eighth grade from 2003-2013. Additionally, he served as a sixth-grade humanities teacher and Dean of Culture and Climate for a charter school in the South L.A. region. He also served as Program Specialist for CCRTL, where he facilitated professional learning sessions on CLR teaching and CLR PBIS, provided one-on-one instructional development and support in CLR to educators, conducted research, and analyzed data related to implementation of CLR practices. 

Dr. Russell graduated from San Diego State University in 1994 with his B.A. in U.S. History. After completing his teaching credential through LAUSD’s district intern program, for which he received the Golden Apple Award in 1996, he went on to earn his National Board credential in the category of middle childhood, generalist in 2003, to which he credits his exposure to CLR as helping him to attain this achievement. He was also acknowledged as an outstanding AEMP teacher and facilitator while at the AEMP model school, 99th St. Elementary. In 2021, Dr. Russell earned his doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC’s Rossier School of Education. His dissertation, which was nominated for Dissertation of Distinction, was focused on the problem of the persistence of racial disproportionality in exclusionary discipline in schools, despite the implementation of the PBIS with fidelity. Specifically, he examined how knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors help or hinder the implementation of PBIS in a culturally responsive manner. As with earning his National Board credential, Dr. Russell credits his experience with and passion for CLR in attaining this capstone achievement. Building upon his dissertation research and their collective knowledge about CLR and culturally responsive classroom management, Dr. Russell co-wrote with Dr. Hollie Supporting Underserved Students: How to Make PBIS Culturally and Linguistically Responsive, which was published in February of 2022.

Kiechelle Russell, M.A.

Kiechelle Russell is a dedicated educator with over 26 years of experience, committed to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. She earned her undergraduate degree at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), followed by a Master’s in Special Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and a Master’s and Administrative Credential in Educational Leadership from UCLA.

Kiechelle began her career in 2000 as a special education teacher in LAUSD, later becoming a second-grade student advocate at the Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS) in 2003. Motivated to address the need for culturally responsive educators, she joined the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning, traveling nationwide to train educators in practices that validated and affirmed underserved scholars.

Returning to LAUSD in 2012 as a resource teacher, Kiechelle eventually became a program specialist, supporting special education programs across the district. Her leadership and passion for student success led her to become a Special Education Assistant Principal, where she currently works to ensure all students and families have access to essential services and resources. Additionally, she is a member of the Inglewood chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Kiechelle’s career reflects her unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and educational excellence for all learners.