S. Kwesi Rollins
Director, Leadership Programs
Institute for Educational Leadership
rollinsk@iel.org
202-822-8405 x 130
Kwesi Rollins coordinates IEL’s portfolio of programs designed to develop and support leaders including the Education Policy Fellowship Program, which operates in 13 states and the District of Columbia; The Cleveland First Ring Superintendent’s project which entails development and implementation of a professional development curriculum for school leaders in 15 school districts; the Leadership Learning Community DC Learning Circle Initiative, which connects a diverse group of leadership development practitioners, grant-makers, and thought leaders who identify successful practices, conduct research, evaluate current leadership efforts, and exchange information and tools.
Additionally, Kwesi directs the Early Childhood Community Schools Linkages Project, Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Linkages Project is designed to demonstrate strategic linkages between quality comprehensive early childhood opportunities and effective community schools that lead to better results for vulnerable children, and lay a foundation for success in school and life. Linkages Project pilot sites include Tulsa, OK; Portland, OR and Albuquerque, NM. Prior to the Linkages Project, Kwesi supported the Kellogg Foundation’s early childhood initiative, SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids), providing assistance in leadership development, parent involvement and community capacity building. Before SPARK, Kwesi supported the Kellogg Leadership for Community Change initiative, an effort designed to develop diverse community leadership that works across boundaries - geographic, racial, cultural, class, or faith - by mobilizing collective action to improve local conditions and the quality of life.
Kwesi has years of experience working with local communities and state agencies to improve multi-agency service delivery systems supporting children, youth and families. Mr. Rollins provided technical assistance and training to a range of state and county agencies, school districts, local schools and community-based organizations in demonstrations projects and/or technical assistance and training projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Mr. Rollins did a one-year internship at the Child Welfare League of America as part of his studies toward an MSW focusing on cultural competence and kinship care. He completed work on his MSW degree in 1996 at the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Social Work where he was a Maternal and Child Health Leadership Training Fellow.
Working with young people is also a personal passion for Kwesi Rollins - he has special expertise in resiliency and youth development. He is President of the Parklands Community Center Board of Directors; he has been recognized as the Big Brother of the Year in the District of Columbia; and is a former member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the National Capitol Area, serving as Vice-President for Program Services.