Leading with Powerful Care: Prioritizing Mental Health for Leaders and Staff

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Kyla Johnson-Trammell, Superintendent at Oakland Unified School District; Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Education at the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE); and Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of Presence. The conversation was moderated by Julia Rafal-Baer, CEO and Founder of ILO Group and Women Leading Ed.

The session explored why supporting the mental health of education leaders is essential to creating sustainable, thriving school systems. Drawing on new findings from Women Leading Ed’s National Insight Survey—where 93% of women in education leadership cited burnout as a critical issue—panelists shared personal stories, practical strategies, and research-backed approaches to shifting workplace culture from the top down. The discussion illuminated how embedding mental health into leadership practices can foster resilience across entire school communities and drive long-term success for students, staff, and systems alike.