Katrina Hamilton-Lawal
Virginia Beach,Virginia
Summary
Higher education student success and advising professional focused on retention, academic recovery, and inclusive learning support. Led probation advising, tutoring supervision, and program coordination that supports underserved students and strengthens campus belonging. Experience also includes academic coaching, study strategies, student engagement, and curriculum development across classrooms and advising settings.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Student Success Coordinator
Virginia Wesleyan University
08.2025 - Current
- Advised 70 students on academic probation, meeting bi-weekly to develop tailored academic plans and provide targeted support during periods of hardship.
- Oversaw academic alerts to facilitate support for students at risk of academic failure for all faculty and students.
- Co-created and presented academic workshops, enhancing student engagement and providing valuable resources for academic success.
- Recruited, hired, trained, and supervised student and professional tutors for in-person and online academic support to students campus-wide, including pre-nursing and allied health majors.
- Promoted tutoring services and other supplemental instruction opportunities to the campus community.
- Executed additional tasks assigned by the Associate Vice President for Student Success.
Academic Advisor, Open Door Project/TRIO Program
Tidewater Community College, Norfolk Campus
09.2024 - Current
- Supported Open Door Project student participants from low-income, first-generation backgrounds and students with disabilities with academic advisement on the selection of courses and majors.
- Used Myers-Briggs Strong assessment results to help advise first-year students on selecting majors and careers based on their interests.
- Planned the 2025 Summer Bridge Retreat for Open Door students, focusing on science and math support and understanding the role of artificial intelligence as a resource for supporting students.
- Coordinated and implemented program activities to enhance student engagement and foster a supportive learning environment.
- Supplied students with resources to pass classes for graduation requirements for transfer to 4-year colleges or universities.
- Facilitated campus tours, study skills workshops, and luncheons to promote student learning and community building.
Education Adjunct Faculty
San Diego Mesa College
08.2022 - 01.2023
- Designed and taught the EDUC 200 course to prepare future educators, emphasizing historical and philosophical foundations of American education and addressing contemporary issues in teaching diverse K-12 learners.
- Integrated state content and performance standards into syllabi and materials to improve student learning outcomes.
- Facilitated EDUC 203 course, including 45-hour supervised field observation in K-12 classrooms, focusing on curriculum design and classroom management while fostering environments grounded in empathy and responsive teaching for underserved students.
- Coordinated placements with culturally responsive educators.
- Fostered inclusive online learning environment and established positive student relationships by implementing supportive practices and maintaining flexible virtual office hours.
SDICCCA Faculty and Administrator Fellow
San Diego Mesa College
07.2021 - 06.2022
- Worked with the Dean of Student Success and Equity to support student initiatives that focused on creating safe spaces on campus for underserved students.
- Facilitated creation of the Black Leadership Fellows Program, enhancing leadership development opportunities for students.
- Secured ongoing funding for student initiatives, ensuring sustained resources and support for underserved populations.
- Supported the Basic Needs Food Pantry weekly food drives to address student food insecurity.
- Worked with Umoja-Mesa Academy Program (UMAP), a program designed to increase the graduation, transfer, and retention of Black and African American students at San Diego Mesa College, and AVANZA Engagement Center, which supports the Peer Navigator program and promotes Latinx culture.
- Designed Integrated Teacher Education Pathways for Black Student Success (ITEP-BSS) pilot, targeting local high school students to support their educational advancement and establish a diverse teacher pipeline to address teacher shortages across various educational levels.
Community Support Counselor
Bay View Academy
07.2018 - 06.2019
- Coordinated a restorative justice program and implemented a whole-school conflict resolution program focused on community building and culturally congruent restorative practices.
- Provided in-service training for staff on incorporating conflict resolution strategies into classroom management practices to enhance student interactions.
- Consulted teachers, assistants, supervisors, and tutors on culturally responsive interventions to support students academically, socially, and emotionally.
- Facilitated implementation of culturally relevant curriculum to foster inclusive classrooms that support diverse student needs.
- Developed awareness of potential bias when identifying and recommending students for special education placement based primarily on defiance and student behavior.
- Developed effective solutions to identify and address implicit biases and discrimination within the educational environment.
Site Supervisor
Monterey County Office of Education Head Start
09.2017 - 06.2018
- Supervised the site's daily operation to ensure compliance with Title 22 regulations and Head Start Performance Standards for effectively teaching students ages 3-5 years.
- Conducted regular classroom observations and evaluated staff, including associate teachers and assistants.
- Facilitated collaboration among staff and stakeholders to meet program and school readiness objectives.
- Cultivated a supportive environment that encouraged staff development and teamwork.
- Provided in-service training and modeled Frog Street classroom curriculum lessons based on Developmentally Appropriate Practices to prepare PreK students for kindergarten.
- Reviewed and supported staff in preparing lesson plans and led the team to review and use data to inform classroom planning and instruction.
- Organized parent training sessions on child growth and development to enhance family engagement.
Elementary Reading Specialist (Interim)
Granada Islamic School
03.2015 - 11.2015
- Spearheaded K-5 English Language Arts literacy program and designed and supervised an engaging staff development process that enhanced curriculum implementation and supported school effectiveness.
- Provided instruction for struggling readers using both push-in and pull-out intervention strategies within K-4th grade classrooms.
- Guided teachers in lesson planning and differentiation strategies by providing continuous support to new teachers to enhance instructional practices.
- Modeled elementary language arts and literacy lessons on how to integrate assessments and performance tasks into daily and weekly instruction.
- Edited WASC 2015 Report for the administrative team, whereby the school was granted a 6-year accreditation.
Social Science Teacher (Long-Term Substitute)
Soledad High School
01.2016 - 06.2016
- Instructed students in a majority Latino/Hispanic, first-generation community in 10th Grade World History and 12th Grade Economics from a hands-on, project-based approach, including civic engagement and voting in United States presidential elections.
- Integrated culturally current and relevant supplemental curriculum that includes the historical contributions of all cultures.
- Facilitated programs and activities that inspired student participation in civic engagement initiatives.
- Attended rallies for 2016 presidential candidates to connect students with civic opportunities and community involvement.
- Attended symposiums at the Panetta Institute Lecture Series to gain insights into public policy.
- Coordinated a culminating 3-course luncheon to celebrate 12th-grade economics project participants at a local family-owned restaurant, fostering community ties.
- Participated in Monterey County Office of Education's Law Day 2016 to promote legal awareness.
Senior Account Executive
Amplify Insight and Learning
12.2012 - 01.2018
- Set up successful Amplify Core Knowledge English Language Arts and Seeds of Science Curriculum pilots in Central California schools, increasing the sales pipeline from approximately $150,000 to over $2.5 million in the California Central Valley region.
- Managed territory sales budget, achieving quarterly and annual revenue targets by expanding existing business and developing new business in elementary and secondary schools across Southern, Central, and Northern California.
- Leveraged elementary education background and teaching experience to support and develop curriculum implementation in schools, enhancing educator engagement and effectiveness.
Education
Master of Arts - Counseling
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY05-2027
Doctor of Education - Education Policy, Organization Leadership with a Concentration in Diversity & Equity
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL12-2025
Master of Arts - Elementary Education
Pepperdine University
Los Angeles, CABachelor of Arts - Psychology
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Carson, CASkills
Affiliations
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)| Graduate Member, Divisions K, L, G
- American Association of University Women (AAUW)| Member
- Association for Black Women in Higher Education (ABWHE)| Student Member
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)|Student Member
- History of Education Society (HES) | Graduate Student Member
- Urban League of San Diego County | Education Consultant
- San Diego College of Continuing Education | Member, President's Advisory Council
PUBLICATIONS
- Hamilton, K. H. & Nelson, J. A. (2023). School-based racial battle fatigue in P-12 schools. In T.A. Flowers (Ed.), The foundations of urban education: Key issues (pp. 101-127). Cambridge Press.
- Hamilton, K. H. (2023, February 16). Accounts of anti-Black bullying reported at Poway school. The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint, 63, 7.
- Hamilton, K. (2022, May 19). Why schools can no longer ignore anti-Black hate. The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint. https://sdvoice.info/why-schools-can-no-longer-ignore-anti-black-hate/
- Hamilton, K. (2021, October 8). Excessive use of force in schools against students must end. Muslim Journal. https://muslimjournal.net/excessive-use-of-force-in-schools-against-students-must-end/
- Hamilton, K. H. (2021, September 9). Just as we feared: Black students face racial trauma as they return to school. The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint. https://sdvoice.info/just-as-we-feared-black-students-face-racial-trauma-as-they-return-school/
- Hamilton, K. (2021, March 14). School-based racial battle fatigue. Muslim Journal. https://muslimjournal.net/school-based-racial-battle-fatigue/
- “School-Based Racial Battle Fatigue and Trauma in the Lives of Black Students in TK-12 Grade Schools.” | Equity Conference: Equity is Love in Action. San Diego, California | May 2022
- “Interdisciplinary Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Centering African American Archives, Educators, Students, and Technology. School-Based Racial Battle Fatigue and Trauma in the Lives of Black Students in TK-12 Grade Schools.” | AERA Annual Meeting. San Diego, California | April 2022
- “Exploring the History of Race, Suspensions and Special Education in P-12 Schools.” Decolonizing the History of Education, History of Education Society Annual Meeting. San Diego, California | November 2021
- “How Diverse Curriculum Impacts Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Students.” California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAAEYC) Annual Conference. Pasadena, California | May 2018
- “Write On! Strategies for African American and Latino Students Writing Success.” | College Board's Western Regional Conference. Los Angeles, California | 2014
- “Write On! The Future of African American Education.” |Co-Presented with Kim Dismukes. College Board's Dream Deferred National Conference. Chicago, Illinois | 2012
- Celebrating Black Excellence Session 1 of 3 | Zoom Webinar Producer | https://youtu.be/b2fHkCFEb1U?si=9Ep6VdloIGRI_iUv
- Celebrating Black Excellence Session 2 of 3 | Zoom Webinar Producer | https://youtu.be/gvVWKgJTTcE?si=x56-3NjZE7BcGcA1
- Celebrating Black Excellence Session 3 of 3 | Zoom Webinar Producer & Co-Moderator | https://www.youtube.com/live/6JtBtYWstWU?si=1RhGNHfRcTBPM0ZD
- Working Together to Improve Outcomes for All Black Children and Families. Two Day Symposium on Improving the Outcomes of African American Education | February 2021
- Day One: Why Black Educators Matter | Zoom Webinar Producer & Moderator
- Day Two: Why Support is Critical for Increasing Black Parent Involvement in Schools | Zoom Webinar Producer
SERVICE
- Jack and Jill of America, Norfolk Chapter, Corresponding Secretary | 07/2024 - present
- Jack and Jill of America, San Diego Chapter, Mother Member | 05/2023 - 07/2024
- San Diego Community College District Black Student Success Group Committee Member | 10/2023 - present
- San Diego College of Continuing Education President Advisory Council Community Representative | 05/2023 - present
- San Diego County Urban League Civic Engagement Co-Chair | 01/2022 - present
- San Diego NAACP Education Chair/2nd Vice President | 01/2020 - 01/2022
Timeline
Student Success Coordinator
Virginia Wesleyan University
08.2025 - Current
Academic Advisor, Open Door Project/TRIO Program
Tidewater Community College, Norfolk Campus
09.2024 - Current
Education Adjunct Faculty
San Diego Mesa College
08.2022 - 01.2023
SDICCCA Faculty and Administrator Fellow
San Diego Mesa College
07.2021 - 06.2022
Community Support Counselor
Bay View Academy
07.2018 - 06.2019
Site Supervisor
Monterey County Office of Education Head Start
09.2017 - 06.2018
Social Science Teacher (Long-Term Substitute)
Soledad High School
01.2016 - 06.2016
Elementary Reading Specialist (Interim)
Granada Islamic School
03.2015 - 11.2015
Senior Account Executive
Amplify Insight and Learning
12.2012 - 01.2018
Master of Arts - Counseling
Teachers College, Columbia University
Doctor of Education - Education Policy, Organization Leadership with a Concentration in Diversity & Equity
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Master of Arts - Elementary Education
Pepperdine University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
California State University, Dominguez Hills