Ezi Adesi, Director of Omega School of Literacy Network
Name the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job.
It’s a challenge confronting the barriers that extend beyond our students’ school day. These barriers have a direct impact on student life and their academic performance. They shape students’ lives long before they enter the classroom and on a daily basis while trying to navigate life and prioritize their education. Yet, leaders are expected to remedy these outcomes within systems that have created outstanding inequities. But it’s important to have hope and to put our best foot forward.
Who do you look up to or admire in business and why?
A fellow educational leader whom I have a great deal of admiration for is Dr. Derek Johnson who currently serves as director of UW Madison Engineering Student Engagement. Dr. Johnson is a confident and humble leader who genuinely believes in the power of education at all levels. He consistently puts student success at the center of everything he does. For many years, Dr. Johnson has been dedicated to helping students discover their own paths, and his ability to connect with and inspire young people sets him apart.
What has been the high point of your career so far?
It’s always an honor when you are entrusted with the carrying on of a legacy; especially one of excellence. So, stepping into my current role is certainly a high point of my career. My team (and) the community have placed a great deal of trust and support in my abilities, and I do not take that lightly. Every day, I get to see students come closer to achieving their high school equivalency, an accomplishment that carries great significance to their lives, the lives of their families and the community.
What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Focus on being a good person, connect intimately with your work, listen to trusted experts in your chosen field and approach every opportunity with the intention to lead. Additionally, prioritize mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellness.
Do you have any secret talents or abilities?
At 42, I am still quite athletic. As a former Division I collegiate athlete, I’ve prided myself on maintaining my athletic abilities and fitness. Additionally, I have a good singing voice that I often put on display through my enjoyment of karaoke.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Being born and raised in Wisconsin, it’s probably not a surprise that cheese is my guilty pleasure. Chips and jerky are also on the list.
