Angela Byrd-Wright
Angela Byrd-Wright, Ed.D., is a results-driven education leader and the Director of Humanities at the Virginia Department of Education, where she oversees fine arts, history and social sciences, world languages, multilingual learner instruction, and manages the state’s multi‑million-dollar Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant. With a career spanning nearly two decades, she has led large-scale instructional and curriculum initiatives that have improved student outcomes across schools and divisions, including full accreditation in mathematics for Hampton City Schools and the creation of systemic STEM education programs through grant-funded collaborations. Her leadership emphasizes replicating instructional success at scale, strategic planning, and empowering strong teams while keeping students at the center of every decision.
Dr. Byrd-Wright began her career in education as a middle-school mathematics teacher in 2004 and quickly advanced into leadership roles, including math coach, assistant principal, principal, Mathematics Director for Hampton City Schools, and Senior Director of Teaching and Learning for Essex County Public Schools. Throughout her trajectory, she has demonstrated expertise in curriculum design, instructional leadership, fiscal management, policy implementation, and stakeholder engagement, consistently driving measurable impact. Her projects have included supervising Emmy® award-winning instructional content and managing federal and pandemic relief funds with exemplary fiscal accountability practices.
A lifelong learner, Dr. Byrd-Wright earned her BA in Middle School Education from Bennett College, her MEd in Special Education from the College of William & Mary, an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University, and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Association of School Leadership, and the National Council on Measurement and Evaluation. Her career has been recognized with honors including Teacher of the Year, Phi Kappa Phi membership, and awards for educational programming under her supervision, reflecting her sustained impact on K–12 education at local and state levels.
• Postgraduate Professional License
• Virginia Division Superintendent License
• Virginia Tech- Ed.D.
• The George Washington University-Ed.S.
• The College of William and Mary-M.Ed.
• Bennett College-B.A.
• Teacher of the Year
• Emmy® for Informational and Instructional Long Form Content
• 2025 Public Media Award
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being instructionally sound and using a systems approach—designing and refining processes, measuring outcomes, replicating what works, and surrounding myself with a strong team—while always keeping students at the center and holding others accountable to shared priorities.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Believe in yourself, know your value, work hard, stay persistent, and always keep students at the center of everything you do.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges and opportunities in my field include addressing early-literacy needs—especially those amplified by the pandemic—through strategic use of federal and state grants, coordinating cross-office initiatives at the state level, and engaging in the legislative and policy work inherent to state education leadership. Additionally, structural career barriers exist, as certain senior roles often require terminal degrees, shaping pathways for advancement.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are keeping students at the center, fostering teamwork and empowerment, maintaining clarity of vision and accountability, persisting through challenges, and celebrating the work and contributions of my team to the field!