Jinan O’Connor

Executive Director, Northeast

Jinan joined Turnaround for Children in 2017 as Executive Director, Northeast. In this role, she leads programmatic work in the region, supports Turnarounds expansion through partnerships and manages the region’s school-based teams.

Jinan came to Turnaround after 12 years at Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a global college readiness organization. She managed AVID implementation in eight states, facilitated professional learning as a national trainer, co-wrote curriculum on culturally relevant teaching and developed partnerships with new schools, districts and community organizations. Jinan previously worked as a school improvement consultant for the Southern Regional Education Board, as a program director for Teach For America and began her educational journey as an elementary special education teacher.

Jinan holds a M.Ed. in administration, planning and social policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in sociology from Spelman College.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Outside of giving birth to an amazing human being, my greatest achievement is developing curriculum on culturally relevant teaching, black male achievement and students’ habits of success. The impact and scope of that work continues to change how teachers and students interact with one another.

Who do you admire most in your life?

My 93-year-old grandmother who continues to write, develop and facilitate presentations on African and African-American culture. She is by far the smartest person I know and lives by the motto: learn something new each day.