Q: What initially drew you to education?
Dr. Enfield: I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher. From as early as age 7, I was “teaching” my stuffed animals and dolls. By the time I became a high school English teacher, I knew I was doing what I was put on the Earth to do. I have come to recognize that this clarity in mission and purpose is a rare gift, and I am grateful for it. I am a teacher at heart, and to this day, no matter what my professional role is, I work to keep the heart and head of a teacher in everything I do.
Q: What is one important lesson you have learned from a student?
Dr. Enfield: While working as a writing tutor as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, I met one particular student who made a lasting impact on me and shaped my education philosophy. Eduardo was a first-generation student whose family migrated from Mexico to a small farming community in the central valley of California. When he told me that he was the first person to graduate from his high school in three years, I was impressed and responded that it had taken me and most people I knew four years to graduate. He smiled and then corrected me; I had misunderstood the situation. Over a three-year period, he was the only student to graduate from his high school because the teachers told them they were going to end up in the fields like their parents, so why bother.
I knew in my bones how wrong it was that any adult, especially someone who has dedicated themselves to public education, would place limits on a young person and their future based on their own beliefs and biases. Although we didn’t use the word equity to describe our work in schools decades ago, this experience instilled in me a deep and unshakable commitment to ensuring that every student receives what they need to succeed in school and beyond.
When I eventually became a teacher, I made the decision to teach English, and specifically classes for those students new to the country who were learning English. I knew then, as I do now, that creating truly equitable school systems is the only way to ensure that every student has an equal share in the promise of public education.
Q: What drew you to the Center for Educational Leadership (CEL)?
Dr. Enfield: My connection with CEL spans more than 15 years, from my early days serving in Seattle Public Schools and meeting CEL’s founder, Steve Fink, who became a friend and mentor. As an educational leader in Washington, my districts, both Seattle and Highline, partnered closely with CEL. Our work in Highline to develop the Highline Promise to know every student is known by name, strength, and need so they graduate prepared for the future they choose mirrors CEL’s vision to empower students to create limitless futures. To be joining the CEL team feels like a full-circle moment for me.
Q: How do you envision advancing CEL’s mission in your new role?
Dr. Enfield: Educational leaders today—especially those new to the work—face unprecedented challenges in ensuring that our students receive the education they deserve. There is a need now more than ever for strong support systems to help leaders at all levels. CEL continues to serve as a trusted learning partner, offering research-based tools and contextualized professional learning that empowers and inspires leaders from the classroom to the central office. During these times, CEL can be a beacon for leaders who are working hard to stay focused on what matters most: our students.
I am excited to lean into CEL’s core values and existing partnerships and expand our impact by deepening existing partnerships and forging new ones.
Q: What message would you like to share with CEL’s partners and the broader educational community?
Dr. Enfield: In the midst of so much change and uncertainty, one thing is certain: our children and young people will continue to show up in our schools each day, and they are relying on us to be there for them. We need to keep them at the forefront of our work.
CEL has always found hope not only in the students we serve but also in partnering with the dedicated educators and leaders who are working with those students every day. We look forward to continuing to inspire and be inspired by those we work with and learn beside.
