About me
Leslie Boozer is an assistant professor of Leadership Studies in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. Her research and teaching are grounded in her experiences as a lawyer, human resources leader, urban school practitioner, researcher, and administrator, including service as superintendent in two California urban school districts and an area superintendent/chief of schools for the Chicago (IL) Public Schools. Dr. Boozer earned her doctorate from the Urban Superintendents Program at Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, where her research focused on the areas of leadership, equity, community engagement, and organizational change.Currently, Dr. Boozer leads multiple executive leadership preparation programs for aspiring superintendents and educational leaders at the University of San Diego. Dr. Boozer also serves as one of the lead agency partners for the California Community Engagement Initiative 2.0 Grant, which is tasked with collaborating with more than 100 local educational agencies statewide to build community and school district capacity to conduct meaningful engagement and lead difficult conversations. Previously, she contributed internationally to educational leadership development as the program instructional coordinator and group facilitator for the Harvard Institute for School Leadership.Prior to academia, Dr. Boozer held multiple appointments in state and national organizations, including president of the California City Superintendents, cochair of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Collaborative for Innovation and Transformational Leadership, member of the Superintendent Advisory Council for the Center for Digital Leadership, and member of the National Superintendents Roundtable. She is also a coauthor and editor of the book, Every Child, Every Classroom, Every Day: School Leaders Who Are Making Equity a Reality (2011), published by Jossey-Bass in partnership with the AASA and Education Week Press.
