Dana Nickson

Assistant Professor

Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership

Dana Nickson, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of education equity and justice in leadership, policy, and politics. Dana studies the intersections of racial demographic change, politics of place (e.g. suburbanization, school choice policies, histories of Black placemaking), and educational agency in U.S. metropolitan regions. Her research specifically centers Black families and students’ diverse knowledge systems and educational experiences to offer possibilities for justice-centered collaborations and practices within and across school systems. Dana is also the 2021 recipient of the American Education Research Association's Division L Education Policy and Politics Outstanding Dissertation Award.

Dana teaches courses on the Politics of Education, Family-School-Community Relationships, and U.S. Metropolitan education landscapes, among others. Dana is a proud auntie and is enjoying exploring Seattle’s beautiful parks.

Education

Ph.D. in Educational Studies with a focus in Foundations of Education and Policy, University of Michigan

M.Ed. in Education, Culture, and Society, University of Pennsylvania

B.A. in African American Studies, Northwestern University