Dr. Saroja R. Warner is the Director for Educator Development and Diversity and provides strategic leadership for WestEd’s technical assistance, research and policy work with state education agencies, district leaders and school-based educators focused on developing and sustaining an effective, culturally responsive, and racially and linguistically diverse educator workforce and increasing educators’ and leaders’ use of policies and practices that promote successful and equitable learning outcomes for each student. She has also served as co-director of two Comprehensive Centers, federally funded education services centers, run by WestEd serving states in the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of the U.S. She is a nationally recognized expert in educator workforce initiatives and culturally responsive teaching, leading and school cultures. Dr. Warner launched a national initiative at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) prior to coming to WestEd to increase educator diversity and culturally responsive practice (CRP) and authored an anchor paper for that work A Vision and Guidance for a Diverse and Learner-Ready Teacher Workforce which provides guidance to states to meet these goals and identifies model best practices. Prior to that, she has led educator workforce initiatives in her role as Branch Chief for Educator Preparation and Assessment at the Maryland State Department of Education, Director for Professional Issues at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) and edTPA Implementation Director at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Warner is also a nationally board-certified social studies teacher and has maintained that status since 2004.