Pam Lange is a force in her community as a leader in education. She’s eager to meet new folks working in and outside of her area of expertise—for which she already has a lot to share in the way of knowledge an experience! But she’s also looking to draw from folks who’ve innovated and iterated on ideas for making education as robust and equitable as possible in their own communities. She’ll be joining us next week from South Dakota. Before you catch her out in LA, here’s a little about Pam!

Q: Who are you, what drives you, what are you working on, and why are you inspired to make the world a better place?

PL: My name is Dr. Pam Lange. I am the Deputy Executive Director of Black Hills Special Service’s Cooperative (BHSSC) and also serve as the Director of the Family, Community, and Special Services Division. I get to work closely with the six BHSSC Division Directors to coordinate efforts, build capacity, develop programs, and identify funding sources for extensive projects that span the state of South Dakota. Divisions include Community, Family, and Special Services; Black Hills Economic Development; Education and Workforce Development; Developmental Disabilities; Human Services; and Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE).

I consider myself a change agent among South Dakota’s education community, have served on various SDDOE working groups, and was one of 41 individuals selected for the inaugural Leadership South Dakota cohort (2015). Additionally, I serve as an AdvancED Lead Evaluator for national and international schools, am a grant reviewer for U.S. Department of Education, and serve on various community organization boards. My current project is developing a Professional Growth Program to build the capacity of young leaders within Black Hills Special Services Cooperative.

Q: What’s your favorite way to relax?

PL: I enjoy reading, spending time with my family (especially my two granddaughters), and love being a part of a creative, energizing, and thought-provoking book club.

Q: What’s your big hope for how can Upswell can help advance your mission?

PL: I am excited to not only learn from others who are attending the conference, but am hoping to make some connections in the areas of working with high-poverty and Native American communities.

Q: What excites you most about Upswell?

PL: I love the structure of the conference, the opportunity to experience ideas and activities I have not been exposed to, and can’t wait to meet and build relationships with others who have already paved the way in similar areas where our educational cooperative is moving.