Kisha Williamson
@kishawilliamson
Program and operations leader using data and people development to improve school culture.
What I'm looking for
I’m a program and operations leader with 14+ years across education, special education, human services, and military logistics. I lead teams, design scalable systems, and bring a people-centered, data-informed approach to program management and organizational improvement. At UIC College Prep, I direct culture, safety, and student-support operations for a campus serving 1,000+ students and use Tableau, PowerSchool, Excel, and Google Forms to monitor metrics, trends, and intervention participation.
I’ve driven measurable culture performance, moving campus outcomes from 10th to 3rd among 18 network schools and closing SY26 at a 99% annual performance rating. I supervise, coach, and develop 20+ culture professionals, and I coordinate complex, high-stakes crisis response—covering major fights, weapons incidents, threat assessments, mental health crises, student deaths, and emergencies—while partnering with administrators, counselors, families, and outside agencies. I also secure funding and launch programs (including a Wellness Room with de-escalation and self-regulation support) to strengthen behavioral and academic outcomes through MTSS, restorative practices, and training.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Assistant Dean of Culture
UIC College Prep
Oct 2024 - Present (1 year 10 months)
Direct schoolwide culture, safety, and student-support operations for a campus serving 1,000+ students and ~200 faculty and staff. Monitors culture metrics and leads safety/crisis responses while coordinating interventions and partnerships to improve student outcomes.
Interim Dean of Culture
UIC College Prep
Jun 2025 - Nov 2025 (5 months)
Directed daily culture and discipline operations while supervising and coaching an 8+ member team. Led suspension and expulsion processes, detention and self-discipline programming, and coordinated external mental health and mentoring partnerships with data-based accountability.
Manager of Restorative Practices
Chicago Bulls College Prep
Aug 2023 - Jun 2024 (10 months)
Designed and implemented a campus restorative-practices framework and trained culture team members to improve consistency and implementation fidelity. Secured funding and led development of a Wellness Room, analyzed culture data, built MTSS caseloads, and designed SEL-based curricula and discipline supports.
Psychology Teacher & Advisory Coord
Chicago Bulls College Prep
Aug 2022 - Jun 2023 (10 months)
Designed and delivered standards-aligned psychology instruction for grades 10–12 using lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and applied learning activities. Coordinated 12th-grade advisory meetings, managed the advisory budget, planned graduation-focused programming, and served as an OSP representative for sensitive investigations while maintaining confidentiality and procedural compliance.
Social Emotional Support Specialist
Mansueto High School
Sep 2021 - Jun 2022 (9 months)
Provided individual and classroom-based SEL support, created visual tools, and documented student progress. Developed lesson plans and assessments, maintained classroom systems, and supported students with and without IEPs in collaboration with licensed social workers and instructional teams.
Special Education Paraprofessional
Mansueto, Percy Julian & Oak Park HS
Jan 2014 - Sep 2021 (7 years 8 months)
Supported students with diverse learning, behavioral, communication, mobility, and daily-living needs across middle and high school settings. Implemented individualized supports with teachers and therapeutic staff, responded safely to challenging situations, and administered specialized assessments including Dynamic Learning Maps.
Program Supervisor
West Suburban Special Recreation Association
May 2019 - May 2021 (2 years)
Supervised and delegated work for a 10-person team across aquatics and sensory-building programs serving individuals with disabilities. Developed and facilitated employee training to support inclusive recreation programming across partner park districts.
Logistics Specialist & Section Leader
United States Navy (Great Lakes)
Oct 2011 - Feb 2015 (3 years 4 months)
Managed inventory and accountability for government materials supporting naval clinical operations. Led personnel accountability and watch assignments for 50 sailors and served as a liaison between enlisted personnel and officers.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Capella University
Master of Science (Applied Behavior Analysis), Applied Behavior Analysis
Pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis at Capella University, expected completion December 2026.
Southern New Hampshire University
Master of Arts (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University (completed March 2024).
DePaul University
Social Emotional Learning Micro-Credential, Social Emotional Learning
Completed a Social Emotional Learning micro-credential at DePaul University in 2024.
Illinois Substitute Teaching License
Illinois Substitute Teaching License, Substitute Teaching
Earned an Illinois substitute teaching license in 2020.
Southern New Hampshire University
Bachelor of Arts (Applied Psychology), Applied Psychology
Earned a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University (completed June 2020).
Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention
Completed the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention credential/training through CPI in 2026.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Job categories
Skills
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