Increasing Educator Diversity Events
The CSDE-RESC Alliance Increasing Educator Diversity Recruitment Fair, co-sponsored by the Connecticut State Department of Education, will provide interactive networking opportunities to help increase the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of your schools.

Each year we host several events that will give you access and a chance to meet educators throughout Connecticut, the New England region, and Puerto Rico, along with students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
2024
Pre-recruitment Webinar
The purpose of the third annual Virtual CSDE-RESC Alliance Increasing Educator Diversity Pre-Recruitment Webinar is two-fold: first, to provide valuable information and resources to diverse educator candidates to secure jobs in Connecticut; and second, to provide information on equitable hiring and retention practices for school district leaders.
Attendees had free access to panels involving school administrators, hiring managers, and state administrators to learn more about current efforts, strategies, policies, and research to increase the racial and linguistic diversity of the educator workforce.
Virtual Increasing Educator Diversity Pre-Recruitment Fair Agenda
March 28, 2024
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Welcome Remarks
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Teacher of the Year
Session I – Equitable Hiring Practices: How to Recruit Diverse Staff
This session will provide district and school staff with strategies to assist them in hiring educators of Color and to inform candidates about hiring practices and prepare them for interview questions.
Moderator: Diane Dugas ddugas@eastconn.org
Panelists
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Michelle Mullaly, Director of Teaching & Learning, Coventry Public Schools, mmullaly@coventryct.org
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Charmaine Tourse-Davis, Director of Talent Recruitment & Retention, Stamford Public Schools, CTourse@StamfordCT.gov
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Sally Distoli, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, Wethersfield Public Schools, sdastoli@wethersfield.me
Session II – Equitable Retention Practices: How to Retain Diverse Staff
This session will provide strategies for school staff and leadership for retaining diverse staff members through the use of equitable and intentional practices and initiatives.
Moderator: Kasey Dunn and Luke Foreshaw- CES
Panelists
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Lysette Torres, Director of Equity & Instruction, Meriden Public Schools, lysette.torres@meridenk12.org
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Elsie Gonzalez, Director of Equity & Inclusion, Capital Region Education Center, egonzalez@crec.org
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Chris La Belle, Associate Executive Director, Cooperative Educational Services, labellec@cestrumbull.org
Session III – Addressing the Teacher Shortage: What You Need To Know About Teacher Certification and Flexibility in Hiring
This session will be a presentation of the alternate ways educators can become certified in Connecticut.
Moderator: Devonna Dionne, Director of Marketing & Communications, EdAdvance
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Panelists
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Alternate Route to Certification (Presentation)
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Rachael Bernier, Program Coordinator, Rachael.Bernier@ct.gov
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Connecticut Teacher Residency Program
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Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims, Managing Director of Academic Programming) vsims@crec.org
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Ushawnda Mitchell (Managing Director of Residency) umitechell@crec.org
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Session IV – Resources and Organizations Available to Support Educators of Color in Connecticut
This session will include a panel discussion highlighting resources available to Educators of Color and how to create a school environment that helps to retain those educators.
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Moderator: Kevin Walton, Director of Equity & Inclusion, ACES
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Panelists
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Renise Washington, Wellness Specialist, Manchester, rwashington@mpspride.org
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Gretchen Osodepe, LEARN, gosodipe@learn.k12.ct.us Affinity Group
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Natalie Simpson, Equity & Inclusion Coordinator, Farmington Public Schools, simpsonn@fpsct.org
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Maryam Wardak, Supervisor of Social Studies, CREC, mwardak@crec.org
Session V – Experiences of Current Educators of Color in Connecticut
This session will include a panel of current Connecticut Educators of Color who will discuss their current experiences being a teacher in the state.
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Moderator: Shannon R. Holder; Education Specialist at CREC Resource Group
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Panelists
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Stefanie Nicholas, Educator, New Haven Public Schools
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Andrea Amado, Learning Specialist, Yale School of Medicine
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Rosalyn Champlain, Mathematics Instructional Coach, Hartford Public Schools