For over 20 years, Contann Dabney has worked in education with a primary focus on improving schools through equitable and robust leadership practices. She has a strong belief that schools make a fundamental difference in the lives of the children and adults they serve.
As a Senior Facilitator with WestEd, she leads services that support effective school improvement and leads turnaround projects in schools and districts. She has well-developed leadership, presentation, and coaching skills and a strong background and expertise in data-driven school improvement.
Previously, she served as Associate Superintendent of School Leadership in a large school district where she oversaw school improvement, operations, and leadership development. This position represented one of the district’s key levers for turning around its lowest-performing schools and supporting continuous improvement in all schools. Dabney acted as a thought partner, problem-solver, and change agent to internal and external stakeholders, with an unwavering commitment to school improvement. She oversaw the Principal Coaching Program and developed the Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, which supported the district’s school-based leadership staff as they worked to enhance their leadership skills.
Prior to being Associate Superintendent, she was a successful turnaround principal. During her principalship, she led improvements in students’ academic success, built strong data practices, improved overall culture, and developed professional learning communities leading schools out of poor academic standing.
Dabney earned her MA in educational leadership at Canisius College. She earned her MA in education and BA in psychology at the University at Buffalo.