Lindsi Lara Pérez joined the Education Pioneers (EP) Fellowship with a clear conviction that education is the great equalizer. Growing up in Northwest Indiana, she saw how differences in access to high-quality education shaped students’ futures long before they entered adulthood.
Lindsi earned her master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University, initially envisioning a career in law to shape policies that improve outcomes for students like her. Through her Fellowship experience, however, Lindsi envisioned a new pathway to impact. “The EP Fellowship galvanized my understanding of what it means to be a primary educator and ultimately sparked my passion for school-based work,” she shared.
Where it Began
Lindsi took part in EP’s 2011 Summer Fellowship, where she supported the University of Chicago’s Collegiate Scholars Program. There, she streamlined data systems and developed strategies to translate and communicate the program’s effectiveness across key outcomes, including college matriculation and retention.
Lindi’s Fellowship project gave her the opportunity to work closely with coaches and students, an experience she found deeply energizing. “I realized what I enjoyed most was the relational side of the work – the human connection,” Lindsi recalled. “I knew I needed to be in community with other people in education. And for me, that was in the classroom.” She came to see the classroom as a starting point for the kind of systems change she hoped to influence, and nearly a year later, she joined Teach For America Indianapolis as a third-grade teacher.
Over time, Lindsi found that a human-centered approach was the foundation of effective leadership, anchoring her work in practice and fueling her growth as a leader focused on building trust, developing others, and driving organizational change at scale. Lindsi went on to serve as an administrator and principal in Chicago Public Schools for seven years, building on the classroom experience that first drew her to school-based work. She later transitioned to the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), where she now serves as Chief Program Officer of the residency program, providing strategic leadership for a model that supports 34 schools across multiple district and charter networks and is positioned for continued growth.
A Broader Vision
Lindsi described the principalship as a natural fit, and one that brought together her commitment to relationships and her role in leading and developing educators. The position allowed her to stay closely connected to students while also cultivating teacher growth, shaping school culture, and designing systems and supports that advanced both student success and adult development schoolwide.
After having her second child and earning her doctorate degree at the University of Illinois Chicago, she began to consider how she could extend her reach beyond a single school building. Turning that broader vision into action would require perspective, guidance, and trusted relationships.
Leaning on Community
As a Fellow, Lindsi found immense value in the relationships formed through the Fellowship’s cohort model. Learning alongside peers with different backgrounds and experiences challenged her thinking and helped her see new possibilities for her leadership. That sense of shared learning and support would later prove essential as she took her next steps.
As she considered those possibilities, Lindsi naturally leaned on the EP Alumni network and other professional communities she was part of. “I began thinking about the people who had been in my shoes, who had taken different routes, and who I could learn from as I explored new opportunities,” she reflected.
Those conversations helped Lindsi begin to see and communicate her experience differently, clearly connecting her work as an academic leader to the systems-level roles she was exploring and how those skills positioned her for broader impact. “I had to really reframe how I packaged my professional experience and how to translate my resume, my cover letter, and all my materials in a different way,” she noted.
Leaning on EP Alumni as she navigated her career transition revealed the role those connections can play at pivotal moments. Motivated by her own experience, Lindsi felt compelled to support others facing similar crossroads. She recently shared her insights with fellow Alumni through EP’s Impact with Intention series, offering guidance and encouragement to others who are exploring new career paths.
About our Alumni Network
After completing their Fellowship, EP leaders join our vibrant Alumni network made up of more than 4,800 connected change makers at every level of educational leadership. Learn more about the impact of our Alumni network here.