What does courageous leadership look like in times when systems are stretched, trust is fragile, and the stakes for students furthest from justice remain high? In this interactive pre-conference session, Dr. Zinnia Un, the Superintendent’s Office, and TTSD’s Instructional Core Directors invite you into a conversation about redefining courage—not as isolated heroic acts, but as a disciplined practice of deep listening, honest reflection, and equity-centered action.

Participants will hear real stories from district leaders who have engaged in humanizing, restorative processes to navigate discomfort, rebuild trust, and lead through complexity and challenge.

This session will center practical tools, protocols, and leadership practices designed to support transformational change through trauma-informed and restorative approaches—grounded in the belief that sustainable change must humanize the people within our educational communities.
You’ll leave with:

• Tools and frameworks for leading equity-centered change across systems
• Protocols that foster deep listening and build trust through consistent, intentional actions
• Strategies for supporting those impacted by change in meaningful, humanizing ways
• Lessons learned from leaders actively engaged in facilitating sustainable systems change

Whether you’re a new leader or a seasoned practitioner, this session offers a space for connection, clarity, and courageous leadership rooted in community, care, and collective responsibility.

Speaker:

 Dr. Zinnia Un, Superintendent’s Office, Tigard-Tualatin SD, with TTSD Instructional Core Directors (TBA)

Dr. Zinnia Un brings over two decades of experience in education with a proven track record of transforming systems through policy development, continuous improvement, and accountability. As the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Multilingual Services for the Tigard-Tualatin School District, Dr. Un develops frameworks and strategies to serve students furthest from justice, fostering equitable practices that are humanizing, culturally competent, and rooted in collectivism.

Dr. Un also serves as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the district under HB2281, where she ensures compliance with anti-discrimination policies and leads initiatives to address bias incidents and foster accountability.

Her work emphasizes participatory decision-making informed by diverse perspectives, cultural humility, and action research. Dr. Un is highly skilled in conducting comprehensive equity audits and systems health checks to identify and address systemic inequities. She is deeply committed to empowering educational leaders to create inclusive systems that uphold the civil rights of all students, with a particular focus on advancing outcomes for Multilingual Learners of English.