Transformative Education: Community Partnerships and Support

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Kwame Owusu-Kesse, Chief Executive Officer of Harlem Children's Zone; Russell Booker, Chief Executive Officer of Spartanburg Academic Movement; Maria Vazquez, Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools; and Kristy Sullivan, Partner for Community Coalitions and Cross Sector Partnerships at TNTP. The conversation was moderated by Avery Cambridge, Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company.

The session explored how place-based and community-driven approaches are reshaping education with measurable, transformative outcomes. Panelists shared powerful, real-world examples of schools and organizations building deep, collaborative partnerships rooted in local resources and relationships. From district-level innovations to cross-sector coalitions, the discussion uncovered the “secret sauce” behind sustainable community engagement—and offered actionable insights for anyone looking to start or strengthen similar efforts. Together, these leaders made a compelling case for why community is not just a support system, but a catalyst for educational success.