Dr. Will Pickens

Dr. Will Pickens is currently a deputy chief of schools in Chicago Public Schools. Prior to this role, he served as a deputy superintendent/chief administrative officer in South Carolina, where he was mainly responsible for student services, attendance, board policy, community and business partnerships, marketing, school counseling, school improvement councils, social and emotional learning, and served as the district’s ombudsman. He is privileged to have served as an educator for 18 years across the country and considers developing and coaching school leaders, one of his sweet spots. He firmly believes that young people who are given premier opportunities are best equipped to tackle our world’s most pressing challenges. He is unapologetically focused on elevating underserved communities, through education and compensation. Dr. Pickens is obsessed with developing our youth, because quite simply, they are our future. Frederick Douglass’s quote “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” resonates with him every single day. 

Most importantly, Will is a girl dad, fitness enthusiast, avid reader, movie connoisseur, people lover, and does not take himself too seriously. He has a bachelor's degree in political science, master’s in school counseling, specialist degree in educational leadership and a doctorate degree in educational leadership. Additionally, he has served as an advisory board member for Voorhees College Center of Excellence for Educator Preparation & Innovation, and The Gentlemen’s League(TGL), a Memphis based nonprofit that focuses on mentoring young males.