Dr. Kristopher J. Childs Joins Open Up Resources as Chief Equity & Social Justice Officer

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Up Resources (Open Up), a nonprofit whose mission is to increase equity in education today, announced the appointment of Kristopher J. Childs, Ph.D. as the company's Chief Equity & Social Justice Officer (CJO). Open Up is dedicated to making top-rated curricula freely available to educators across the United States. 

In his new role, Dr. Childs will bring his vast experience in K-16 as an educator, speaker, author and thought leader to Open Up's Sr. Leadership Team, partnering to develop and drive forward key strategic initiatives of the organization in service of dismantling systemic racism in K-12 education in the United States. The CJO is a critical position on the executive team, leading Open Up Resources' commitment to being an anti-racist, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization. Atypical of a traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Dr. Childs' new role calls on his deep pedagogical expertise and will play a key role in driving program and curricula development as well as overall organization strategy.

"This is a crucial executive position at Open Up Resources as we contemplate the ways in which we can help to dismantle systemic racism in PK-12 education in this country. As we've watched what's been happening in America, we've realized that we have work to do internally and connected to our curricula, which has the power to positively catalyze change in our country through liberating educational experiences," said Open Up CEO, Jessica Sliwerski.

"I am excited to join Open Up as they continue to prioritize increasing equity in education. This role will allow me the opportunity to work with every team in this amazing organization committed to empowering educators and students through truly equitable, diverse, inclusive high-quality curricula and professional learning," said Dr. Kristopher Childs.

Prior to joining Open Up Resources, Dr. Childs was a National Mathematics Content Specialist with a textbook publisher. He also served as Assistant Professor of STEM Education at Texas Tech University, former project director of The Cognitively Guided Instruction Project at the University of Central Florida, Lead Mathematics Instructor at Bethune-Cookman University and a public-school mathematics teacher in urban school settings at the secondary level.

He is an active member of the Association of Mathematics Teachers Educators, the Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  

Kristopher holds a Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering from Florida A&M University, a Master of Science, Mathematics Education from Nova Southeastern University and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education from the University of Central Florida.

About Open Up Resources

Open Up Resources is a 501(c)(3) that exists to increase equity in education by making the highest quality curriculum freely accessible to educators and providing implementation supports to the broadest number of teachers, empowering them to effectively and sustainably improve student outcomes in PK-12 English Language Arts and Mathematics. 

To learn more about Open Up Resources' mission and work, visit www.openupresources.org. Learn more about and join our communities here.

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SOURCE Open Up Resources