Nate Rouse is a 2024-2025 Teach Plus Illinois Affinity Group Facilitator and the Director of Equity, Race, and Cultural Diversity at Community Unit School District 220 in Barrington, Illinois. He focuses on leading professional development that helps staff develop a deeper understanding of equity, race, & cultural diversity and the daily practices needed to develop the will, skill, and capacity to lead, sustain, and support systemic equity transformation that will ensure equitable opportunities for all students. Nate served as principal of Oak Park & River Forest High School for 11 years. Nate was named Educator of the Year by Phi Delta Kappa of Northeastern Illinois University. Nate was given the Make America Fair and Equal 2018 Global Agenda Overcomers award by Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition. He earned his BA in English from Northern Illinois University, and an MA in teaching language arts and his educational leadership credential from Northeastern Illinois University.