Growing and Supporting a Diverse Teacher Workforce

About the Presenters

Dr. Adam Clark currently serves as the Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District in Contra Costa County, California, a position he has held since July 2020. He leads a diverse district serving over 29,000 students and 3,800 employees. Under his leadership, the district has made notable progress in fiscal stability, academic achievement, and stakeholder trust. He expanded access to advanced coursework, implemented data-informed strategies, and established successful professional development systems to improve student performance and outcomes.

Prior to his role in Mt. Diablo, Dr. Clark served as Superintendent of the Vallejo City Unified School District. He has also held cabinet-level leadership roles including Associate Superintendent of Educational Services and Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. He began in the classroom and served as an elementary, middle, and high school principal.

Dr. Antoine Hawkins is the Superintendent of the Evergreen School District in San Jose, CA, where he oversees the education of nearly 9,000 students from a variety of backgrounds. With more than 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Hawkins has consistently worked to improve academic outcomes for underserved communities. His leadership has fostered enhanced student learning and broadened opportunities for learners in K-12 and university settings.

In 2022, Dr. Hawkins became a member of the Advisory Council for the U.S. Department of Education’s Western Educational Equity Assistance Center (WEEAC). He served in this capacity until WEEAC was defunded at the federal level in February 2025. Established under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as an Advisory Council Member, Dr. Hawkins provided valuable equity insights to school districts, indigenous tribal nations, and state education agencies throughout the western U.S., as well as American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

In May 2023, Dr. Hawkins became President-Elect of the California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA). CAAASA is dedicated to advocating for the educational needs of African American and other marginalized student groups by addressing policy issues, promoting equity, and ensuring all students have access to quality education and opportunities for success. CAAASA’s Annual Gatherings and PD Summits host over 2,500 participants annually.

Dr. Hawkins has also taught at both the community college and university levels, instructing students in undergraduate and graduate programs. He holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree from the Touro University System, and an earned doctorate. His doctoral research emphasis is in the areas of organizational psychology and transformational leadership. Additionally, Dr. Hawkins is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s (USC) Urban Superintendent Program and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Dr. Kai Mathews is an educator, researcher, and designer who aims to transform schools and classrooms into spaces of liberation, equity, and collective thriving. With over a decade of experience at the intersection of policy, pedagogy, and systemic change, she has designed justice-centered programs that disrupt structural inequities and cultivate inclusive learning environments. As founder of The Liberatory Classroom, former Executive Director of Urban Ed Academy, and former Director of the California Educator Diversity Project at UCLA, Dr. Mathews has advanced educator diversity, restorative practice, and liberatory learning across schools, districts, and universities. Her work—rooted in the values of Love, Liberation, Wild Potential, Alchemy, Joy, and Community—bridges data, story, and community wisdom to build institutions that co-create more just and humanizing futures for all.