Dr. Tameka Denise Hyland

I attribute my success to faith, discipline, and a healthy refusal to play small. I believe preparation is a form of respect — respect for the room, the responsibility, and the people you lead. I’ve never walked into a space hoping to be lucky; I walk in ready. And if I’m not ready yet, I prepare until I am.

I’ve also learned that resilience is a leadership requirement. Not everything has been easy, and not every room has been welcoming , but I made a decision early on that I would never shrink to make others comfortable. I do the work. I study the data. I read the research. I build the systems. And then I execute. Consistently.

A little humor helps too. I often say I don’t just pray about it — I put it on the calendar and build a strategic plan around it. Faith without works is incomplete, and vision without execution is just a cute idea. So I bring both: faith and follow-through.

I also attribute my success to standards. I hold high expectations for myself and for those I lead, not out of pressure, but out of belief. I believe in excellence. I believe in impact. I believe in leaving every institution better than I found it. And I don’t just talk about transformation — I measure it.

And finally, I’ve been intentional about building relationships and mentoring others along the way. Success means very little if you’re the only one winning. I’m committed to cultivating leaders, especially women and leaders from historically marginalized communities, so that the next generation walks into rooms already knowing they belong.

So yes, faith. Discipline. Strategic execution. A little bit of boldness. And just enough humor to remind myself that even powerful women need to breathe, laugh, and keep it moving.

That’s what I attribute my success to.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was simple: “Master your craft, and the room will have to respect you.”

Early in my career, someone told me not to chase titles — chase competence. Learn the systems. Understand the data. Know the policy. Study leadership theory. Practice execution. When you become undeniable in your preparation, your confidence doesn’t have to be loud — it’s evident.

I was also told, “Never shrink to fit into a space you were called to lead.” That stayed with me. There will always be rooms where you are the only woman, the youngest voice, or the one people underestimated. The advice wasn’t to fight for validation — it was to let your results speak. Excellence has a way of quieting doubt.

And I’ll add this: build your own table if necessary. Sometimes doors don’t open quickly enough, so you create opportunities. You start the program. You write the book. You launch the initiative. You lead the task force. Waiting is not a strategy.

So the best advice?

Prepare relentlessly. Lead boldly. Stay grounded. And let your work introduce you.

To young women entering education and leadership, my advice is this: Do not wait to be validated before you start leading.

Master your craft. Study the policy. Understand the data. Learn how systems work. When you know your content and your numbers, you walk differently. Confidence is not arrogance — it’s preparation meeting opportunity.

Second, build both competence and character. Your expertise will get you in the room, but your integrity will keep you there. Education is not just about instruction; it’s about influence, stewardship, and responsibility.

Third, trust your voice. Even when it shakes. Even when you are the only one saying something different. Even when you’re the youngest, the only woman, or the one others quietly underestimated. Your perspective is valuable. Your lived experience is expertise. Do not silence yourself to make others comfortable.

There will be rooms where you are tested. Let your preparation speak. Let your results speak. Excellence is disruptive in the best way. Be bold enough to raise your hand, share your ideas, and own your accomplishments.

Find mentors, but don’t become dependent on them. Learn from others, but develop your own leadership style. You are not meant to imitate — you are meant to innovate.

And finally, remember this: leadership is not about titles. It’s about impact. Whether you are in a classroom, a district office, a boardroom, or shaping policy — lead with purpose. Education transforms lives, and your voice belongs in shaping its future.

Walk in prepared. Trust your voice. Lead with conviction. And never apologize for being both powerful and principled.

The biggest challenges in education right now are workforce shortages, shifting policy landscapes, persistent inequities, and increasing accountability demands — but those same pressures create powerful opportunities for transformation. Educator preparation programs must adapt quickly to evolving licensure requirements, literacy mandates, and data transparency expectations while ensuring leaders are culturally responsive, equity-driven, and instructionally strong. At the same time, emerging technologies and innovative partnership models give us the chance to redesign leadership pipelines and strengthen community impact. The opportunity is clear: if we prepare educators and leaders who are strategic, data-informed, culturally grounded, and unafraid to lead boldly, we can reshape systems in ways that produce measurable results and restore confidence in public education.

The values most important to me — in both my work and personal life — are integrity, excellence, faith, and service. Integrity anchors everything I do; I believe leadership without character is unsustainable. Excellence matters because I do not believe in doing things halfway — if my name is attached to it, it will reflect preparation, intention, and high standards. Faith keeps me grounded and reminds me that leadership is stewardship, not ego. And service is the thread that connects it all — whether I’m teaching, leading, mentoring, or building initiatives, I believe success is most meaningful when it creates opportunity and access for others. Those values guide my decisions, shape my leadership style, and define how I move in every room I enter.