Rhonda "Nikki" Barnes, Senior Director for Teacher Leadership

Nikki Barnes leads CTQ’s initiatives to connect NBCTs and other accomplished teachers with opportunities to develop their skills as mentors, peer coaches and effective leaders of professional learning communities. Currently, she is spearheading the Center's efforts to augment teacher support of new and out-of-field teachers in high-needs schools through the use of virtual learning communities.

Nikki was the first Black classroom-based teacher in Virginia to achieve National Board Certification. With that significant accomplishment as a driving reminder, she has always embraced a personal responsibility to strengthen the teaching profession and improve student learning. A graduate of Virginia Tech University, Nikki possesses over 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher and teacher leader advocating for quality public schools for America’s neediest children. Her classroom experience includes teaching middle and high school English/Language Arts and English Language Learners in an elementary setting.

Nikki has been engaged in an array of teacher leader activities at the district, state and national level. As the NBCT-in-Residence at the Center for Teacher Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University, she developed a National Board candidate support program and conducted research on the needs and perceptions of teacher leaders. As a senior staff member at the National Education Association, she worked to increase the number of minority candidates passing state teacher licensure exams, and helped advance legislation and policies to support high quality mentoring and induction programs. A strong supporter of the National Board process, Nikki has also contributed to the development of programs to increase the number of minority candidates who complete and achieve National Board Certification.