Dr. Portia Ransom is a 2023-2024 Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellow and a 12th grade collegiate-credit teacher, the English Department Chair, and a culturally responsive teaching and learning instructional coach at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois. As an instructional coach, she leads training sessions and events to help district leaders as well as faculty and staff develop skills to promote culturally responsive and equitable learning spaces for all students. Portia has received a district Golden Apple award and was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi honor society. Portia spent part of her teaching career in higher education, where she served as a college dean, program manager, and writing center director. Portia earned her BA in English from Oberlin College, an MA in English from North Carolina A&T State University, an MAT in secondary education from National Louis University, and a PhD in American studies from Purdue University. She recently completed her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a principal endorsement at the American College of Education.
