About Us
Our Impact
Education leaders who complete SustainED Leaders’ training programs will master competencies that empower them to develop teachers and staff and partner with families to implement evidence-based instructional, cultural, and data practices that accelerate learning and growth for all children.
What We Believe
We believe that every child has unlimited potential to learn, grow, and thrive.
We believe that when teachers and leaders utilize evidence-based practices that are proven to accelerate learning for all children, that every child can realize his/her full potential.
We believe that by empowering education leaders with key mindsets, knowledge, and skills, they have the ability to achieve educational equity and excellence in their schools.
We believe that all students have unlimited potential to learn, grow, and thrive.
Justice, Equity, Diversity,
& Inclusion
We operate with a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and work continuously to understand how our biases and beliefs influence our choices and behaviors.
We seek to advance educational equity and excellence by designing and implementing equitable systems and structures within and outside our organization.
How We Operate
OUR PARTNERS
We partner with school districts to design and deliver trainings and coaching that develop systems leaders, school leaders, and teacher leaders.
LEADING FOR EQUITY
We are committed to achieving educational equity and excellence while creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization.
IMPROVEMENT SCIENCE
We collect evidence that measures the impact of our work, and we systematically analyze and evaluate data to find ways that we can continuously improve.
PRACTICE WHAT WE TEACH
Every member of our team has an unyielding focus on embodying the same values and mindsets that are integrated into our work.
Our Team
Jacob Stainbrook
Executive Director
Before co-founding SustainED Leaders, Jacob served in senior leadership roles at multiple school districts. He has coached and managed leaders as the Vice President of Schools at IDEA Tarrant County and as a Managing Director at Uplift Education. As a principal, he led the turnaround of a low-performing middle school in Dallas, Texas, transforming it into one of the highest-rated middle schools in Texas. Jacob has worked as a national consultant at TNTP and taught instructional leadership courses to graduate students as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University.
Rachel Yearwood
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Leadership Development Director
Rachel Yearwood is a Leadership Development Director for SustainED Leaders. Before this role, she founded and led a campus as an Academic Director with Uplift Education for six years. While obtaining her Master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Rachel was an elementary school principal intern in Cambridge Public Schools. She started her educational career in Spring Branch ISD where she was able to teach middle school Science, lead as Department Chair, and work with the district curriculum over a five-year time span. She has received a B.S in Biology from Prairie View A&M University and an M.Ed. in Science Education from the University of Houston.
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Grace Jackson
Leadership Development Director
Grace Jackson is a Leadership Development Director for SustainED Leaders. Prior to this role, Grace worked at Uplift Education for 10 years, where she served as a PYP Dean and Academic Director. In addition to serving as a school leader, Grace also worked as a Residency Mentor for the Summit Learning Teacher Residency program, where she coached a cohort of new teachers toward earning their credentials. After graduating from the University of Florida, Grace moved to Dallas to begin her career in education as a middle school science teacher at KIPP TRUTH Academy. She received her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington.
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Naima Blakes
Program Manager
Prior to becoming a Program Manager for SustainED Leaders, Naima worked as an Instructional Dean with Uplift Education. In this role, she completely revamped teacher leader development to increase the effectiveness of professional learning communities on campus. In her former position as an Academic Counselor, she supported her campus to repeatedly outpace the district in yearly reading and math growth. Before serving in campus leadership roles, Ms. Blakes worked as a Math Intervention Specialist and Science Teacher in the states of Texas and Nevada.
Our Board
Our Board of Directors are trusted advisors and partners who have extensive experience leading meaningful change in education.