Kenisha Coon-Santiago

I can provide guest lectures across social work, human services, public policy, leadership, organizational development, diversity and inclusion, disability studies, and emerging technology. Topics include: Child welfare, foster care, permanency, and adoption Cultural responsiveness and antiracist practice in child- and family-serving systems Beyond Resilience: examining the systems people are required to adapt to Evidence-based coaching, leadership, and professional decision-making Translating research into policy and practice Systems change, implementation, and organizational transformation Race, intersectionality, identity, belonging, and inclusive leadership Lived experience and the ethics of including community voice in professional practice Disability, accessibility, and navigating professional spaces with vision loss Assistive technology and AI for blind and low-vision communities Human-centered AI, algorithmic bias, accessibility, and responsible technology AI in social work, human services, and organizational decision-making Career development, persistence, and leading through personal and professional change Research methods, dissertation development, and translating doctoral research for real-world impact Public speaking, storytelling, advocacy, and using professional expertise to influence systems change Lectures can be tailored for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or professional audiences and can incorporate research, case examples, lived experience, interactive discussion, and practical application.

I have extensive experience teaching, training, facilitating, and presenting to adult learners across child welfare, government, nonprofit, and professional settings. Over the past five years, I have delivered more than 50 keynotes, workshops, trainings, conference presentations, and facilitated learning sessions. My teaching experience includes child welfare and permanency practice, cultural responsiveness and antiracism, leadership, workforce development, evidence-based coaching, systems change, accessibility, disability inclusion, and human-centered AI. I hold a PhD in Evidence-Based Coaching and Leadership, and I regularly translate research and complex systems concepts into practical learning experiences for professionals at different stages of their careers.

I love working with students because I can connect what they are learning in the classroom to what actually happens in organizations, communities, and complex human-serving systems. My lecturing style is conversational, interactive, and grounded in storytelling. I combine research with real-world case examples, professional experience, and lived experience, and I am comfortable discussing the places where theory and practice do not always align. I encourage students to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, and consider multiple perspectives rather than simply memorize information. My goal is for students to leave a lecture thinking differently, while also understanding how they can apply what they learned in their future careers.