Dr. Kendra Coates is an award-winning education leader passionate about celebrating our unlimited potential (UP) and human-centered teaching and learning. In her twenty years of teaching and leadership, she has taught all ages, from preschool to professionals across a variety of settings including early childhood, after school, abroad, AmeriCorps, special education and intervention, PreK-12 leadership, and higher education.

She is the author of  a literacy-based teaching and learning framework and curriculum from Mindset Works, the global leader in growth mindset and .

Kendra currently serves as Director of Mindset and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Central Oregon at the High Desert Education Service District. In addition, she is a certified professional coach and mindfulness facilitator, an adjunct professor, and guest lecturer/speaker. She holds a B.A. in political science, a M.A.T in Special Education, a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, a D.Ed. in Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership and educational licenses in literacy, PreK–12 special education, early childhood and elementary education, and school administration in the state of Oregon.