Facilitator: Alain Sykes
Contact: alainsykes@drewschool.org
Alain became interested in education at a young age, through the discussions and example of her parents. She has studied and worked at schools in the United States, Mexico, Greece, Spain, Italy, and The Netherlands. Each of these experiences gave her the opportunity to reflect on her own culture while seeking to understand, educate, and participate in educational processes. She explored how identity affects motivation and experience through her studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Washington, where her research focused on the intersections of Curriculum, Instruction and Multicultural Education. She has been published on the topics of Multiracial identity in schools, Philosophy for Children programs, and Muslim Minority Schools in Greece.
Alain taught social science and literature for over ten years at schools in the United States and Europe. Her past leadership roles include Department Chair, Director of Multiculturalism and Inclusion, and Assistant Head of School for Academics. She currently serves as Dean of Equity and Social Impact at Drew School in San Francisco, California.
