Kristi-Jo Preston

Kristi Jo Preston is an education leader deeply committed to advancing an education system that meets the needs of all learners, particularly diverse learners. She recently served as the Vice President of SPED Strategies and previously served as the Deputy Assistant Superintendent and Executive Director for Diverse Learners at the Louisiana Department of Education. 

In her time at the LDOE, Kristi advanced the statewide strategy to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. She managed diverse teams, guiding the launch of the first statewide special education leadership development program, the school improvement strategy for diverse learners, and a high-quality vendor marketplace. Her work yielded strong results for diverse learners including double-digit increases in graduation rates, statewide academic gains, and more equitable outcomes for students of color.  She managed tens of millions in federal funding and secured additional competitive funding to serve Louisiana’s students. She has also served on national boards in data and special education. 

Kristi began her career as an elementary and middle school teacher in both traditional and charter settings in Arizona and Massachusetts. Kristi holds a Masters in Public Policy from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a Bachelor’s in History from Brandeis University. She calls Boston home, and enjoys hiking and cross country skiing with her husband and son.