Chris Cantu

Chris is a hardworking agent of change with the unwavering belief that all children can achieve at high levels. With over a decade of experience working in public education in New Orleans, Chris has transformed school culture by building values-based and mission-driven teams. He has dedicated his career to empowering teams with the skills and mindsets necessary to ensure that every student has access to quality and equitable education, knowing that school culture is the platform upon which strong instruction rests.

Chris has experience in all levels of leadership, having worked as a teacher, dean, administrator, charter network leader, and school culture consultant. He has led turnaround work in six schools, reducing suspensions by at least 65 percent in each. He has also served as a school culture and systems specialist for FirstLine Schools, a charter management organization in New Orleans made up of five schools. There, he worked with school leaders to develop a replicable approach to school-wide culture and new teacher development.