04/12/2021
By Robin Hall

The College of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Lilia Cai-Hurteau on “Bamboo and Glass: Portraits of Asian American Women Heads of Independent Schools”.

Date: Monday, April 26, 2021
Time: 3 p.m. EST
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should email Phitsamay_Uy@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access to the meeting.

Dissertation Chair: Phitsamay Uy, Ed.D. Associate Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Dissertation Committee:

  • Sharon Subreenduth, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Carolyn Leung Rubin, Ed.D., Scholar in Practice

Abstract:
While there are over 1,500 PreK-12 independent schools in the United States that are members of the National Association of Independent Schools, there were only seven Asian American women heads of schools in 2019. This paper explores the intersectional impact of race and gender on educational leadership development with a focus on Asian American women school leaders within the unique context of independent schools. Aiming to contribute to existing organizational and leadership research by complicating the narratives of a small group of women of color school leaders, this study employs intersectionality theory as the conceptual framework, culturally responsive school leadership as the leadership framework, and elements of portraiture, critical Indigenous studies and critical race theory as the research methodologies and analytical tools. This study shines a light on Asian American women heads of schools’ lived experience and leadership styles by analyzing qualitative data gathered through a background survey and semi-structured interviews. In addition to examining how their intersectional identities have informed the arcs of their leadership journeys, this paper also describes characteristics of culturally responsive school leadership, how culture and epistemologies influence leadership practice, and how these Asian American women heads of schools negotiate the transactional nature of independent schools to harness the transformational power of educational leadership, despite experiencing stereotype threats, microaggressions and oppositions. This study connects to the history of Asian American feminism and previous research on Asian American women leadership in public schools and higher education to show that Asian American women heads of schools – as a part of a larger group of women of color school leaders – make powerful contributions to resisting systemic forces in order to reimagine and transform schools into places with radical possibilities for the future.