Dr. Elise Swinford is a State Cadre Technical Assistance Specialist at the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center. In this role, Dr. Swinford provides professional learning experiences and collaborative consultations to the MAP Center’s regional partners, designs and develops customized tools and resources, and convenes stakeholders to build equity learning. Previously, Dr. Swinford supported Targeted School Improvement sites in Indiana to improve cultural competence, worked in gender and sexuality diversity education consulting in Massachusetts, and collaborated with schools across the sectors in Boston on issues related to education equity. She holds a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from DePauw University, a M.A. in English Literature from Miami University of Ohio, and a Ph.D. in English Literature and Gender Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.