Throughout graduate school, Denise Borders (ED.D. ’85) taught children because, she says, “I like to apply what I learn.” Borders holds four advanced degrees, including three from TC. A “teacher first” (she’s taught all grades), she’s led research, served as a CTB/McGraw-Hill national measurement consultant and Baltimore schools assistant superintendent and chief, led accountability and professional learning for the U.S. Department of Defense schools and headed $50 million education development projects abroad.
“I’ve challenged myself to experience different education sectors for deeper learning. Every position I’ve taken has given me the opportunity to impact more students and education leaders.”
Borders ultimately found her “heart and soul” in evidence-based research and “bringing great research into the classroom to accelerate learning.”
Borders came from humble beginnings in Omaha, Nebraska — a first-generation College student whose family “sacrificed everything” for her education.
Earning a scholarship from Omaha’s Buffet Foundation, she double-majored in cognitive psychology and human development. “Educators need rigorous research from other fields,” she says. Teaching in Appalachia, she spotlighted child abuse, arranged doctor visits and took students to New York City and Washington. While believing in equity and excellence in learning, high-quality content and collaborative learning, she ultimately found her “heart and soul” in evidence-based research and “bringing great research into the classroom to accelerate learning.” Recently, she’s assumed leadership of Learning Forward, the leading developer and supporter of education leaders’ professional learning, and joined TC’s Board.
“TC is such a part of me. I want to apply what I’ve learned.”