Dr. Cathy Owens-Oliver is an accomplished speaker, author, instructional
coach, education policy analyst, and National Board Certified Teacher.
For more than 25 years, in 46 of 50 states as well as Canada, she
has provided consulting services for instructional coaches, college
faculty, state boards, and state departments of education.
She is the President and CEO of Educational Effectiveness
Group, a coaching, and consulting practice that helps
K-12 schools and colleges of education improve
teaching and solve problems that hinder student learning.
She is the author of Why Schools Fumble, a national
bestseller in Pedagogy and Educational Problem-Solving. She
has presented at countless national conferences and written for leading
education journals including Accomplished Teacher Magazine, the
Journal of Staff Development, and the Hope Foundation’s What Works
in Schools newsletter. Her work also appears in the college textbook:
Black Star: An Introduction to African-American Studies.
She earned her doctorate in Education, Leadership, Management,
and Policy at Seton Hall University, and completed her Masters in English Education at
NC A&T State University, and her Bachelors in English Education at the University of NC - Greensboro (where she was a NC Teaching Fellow).
She has held senior roles at the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards, Learning Forward, Educational Testing Service,
and the NC Department of Public Instruction. She has served as
adjunct faculty for several colleges.
She completed leadership and coaching training with the NC Center
for the Advancement of Teaching, Dale Carnegie Corporation, Institute
for Management Studies, Jack McDowell School for Leadership Development,
and the Parker Palmer Center for Courage and Renewal.
She has served as a director of ministerial training in NC, MI, and PA. She is the Dean of Education for the COGIC International Sunday School Department and President of the GirlsGotLIFE Foundation. Affectionately known as Dr. O, she has assisted several faith-based groups in implementing organizational change. She enjoys golf, gardening, and mentoring millennials.
Minority Pipeline Program Coordinator|
Claflin University
From January 2021 to Current • 5 year(s)
Adjunct faculty position coordinating minority pipeline programs.
Adjunct Faculty - Practicum III, Teacher Preparation|
Wilmington University
From January 2016 to Current • 10 year(s)
Teaching teacher preparation courses in practicum III.
CEO|
Educational Effectiveness Group
From January 2014 to Current • 12 year(s)
Equipping education agencies with tools, strategies, and solutions to improve teaching and learning with focus on school-based problem-solving, leadership coaching, teacher preparation, and new teacher induction.
Senior Client Relations Director|
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
From January 2010 to January 2014 • 4 year(s)
Provided guidance to 40+ state boards and agencies on preparation and licensure policy for teachers and school administrators. Supported 100+ teacher preparation and educational leadership programs implementing performance-based assessments.
Instructional Specialist|
MI Association for Intermediate School Administrators
From January 2008 to January 2010 • 2 year(s)
Built a coaching model to assist K-8 Title I schools not meeting ELA and Math proficiency. Worked to scale-up the MI Department of Education's statewide system of support for high need schools.
Senior Director of Learning|
Learning Forward (National Staff Development Council)
From January 2005 to January 2008 • 3 year(s)
Directed content management and delivery for national conferences serving 6,000+ school administrators and instructional coaches. Led regional state teams in professional learning and collaborative program design for school leadership.
Senior Director of Teacher Leadership Initiatives|
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
From January 2000 to January 2005 • 5 year(s)
Designed and directed regional candidate support institutes and trained the NBCT faculty. Developed initiatives and materials to recruit and retain minority teacher candidates.
Coach-to-Coach Regional Facilitator|
NC Department of Public Instruction
From January 1998 to January 2000 • 2 year(s)
Designed regional training programs for mentor teachers across six school districts. Assisted schools of education, primarily HBCUs, with NCATE accreditation.
Adjunct Faculty - Cultural Diversity|
UNC - Greensboro
From January 1997 to January 2000 • 3 year(s)
Teaching cultural diversity and Teaching Fellows seminars.
English Teacher|
Guilford County Schools
From January 1994 to January 1998 • 4 year(s)
Taught 9th and 11th grade English Language, Literature, and Composition. Served as yearbook advisor, professional development chair, and instructional coach.
Adjunct Faculty - Assessing Student Learning|
NC A&T State University
From January 1996 to January 1997 • 1 year(s)
Teaching courses on assessing student learning.
Adjunct Faculty - Professional Writing|
Guilford Technical Community College
From January 1996 to January 1997 • 1 year(s)
Teaching professional writing courses.
