Toby Wu (he/they) is a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at NYU Steinhardt. Prior to the doctoral program, he spent over a decade teaching and working in a broad range of elementary schools in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area. His upbringing in New York City led him to pursue opportunities in youth development organizations, and later, a professional calling in the field of education.Toby’s research focuses on the intersections of teacher diversity & leadership; organizational change; and culturally responsive & sustaining pedagogies. Specifically, he is interested in the ways that schools can evolve to better leverage the strengths of teachers of color and to fulfill their institutional role within a multiracial democracy. His work seeks to address the professionalization of teaching in the United States and the shifting needs of our increasingly diverse student bodies.