Rochelle Herring, a former professor at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, has joined WestEd as the organization’s new Vice President of K-12 Systems. In this role, Herring leads WestEd’s Culturally Responsive Systems, Educational Leadership and Systems Design, Literacy, and Teacher Workforce teams.

At the University of Massachusetts, Herring served as a visiting professor, teaching courses such as Strategic Partnerships with Families and Communities, and Education and the Law. Prior to that she was a Senior Program Officer for Education Leadership at the Wallace Foundation, where she worked on several national initiatives, including The Principal Pipeline Initiative, The Principal Supervisor Initiative, The University Principal Preparation Initiative and Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning.

“I’m delighted to join an organization that takes a systems approach to transforming education and has a deep commitment to equity and supporting the whole person,” said Herring. “WestEd stands out in the field for its breadth of knowledge and depth of expertise. It truly touches all parts of education and uses rigorous research and evidence to improve outcomes for students, their families, and their communities.”

She has held leadership roles at the National Center on Education and the Economy, America’s Choice, and within multiple school districts, she also worked at a technical assistance provider with the National Center on Education and the Economy where she helped design schools, coach school leaders and train instructional coaches. Herring started her career as a classroom teacher in New Jersey, where she taught English Language Arts and Social Studies at a gifted and talented magnet school.

“Rochelle’s deep and varied experience are a valuable asset to WestEd,” said WestEd CEO Jannelle Kubinec. “Her expertise with national education leadership initiatives coupled with her hands-on experience in the classroom give her an important and unique perspective on our education system, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities for transformation.”

Herring earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Spelman College and master’s degrees from New York University and Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. She also holds a doctorate in administration, social policy, and planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.