Learning to Lead for Equity: How MCLA's Leadership Academy Transformed an Advocate into a Systemic Change Agent

February 25, 2026

Heidi K. Allen, M.S., CCC-SLP, CAGS
Director of Special Education
East Syracuse Minoa Central School District

"I chose MCLA because I wanted to learn how to lead with an equity-first mindset," says Heidi Allen, a graduate of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Leadership Academy. "It wasn't just about getting a new title; it was about gaining the knowledge to address systemic gaps and become a leader who dismantles barriers for all students."

For Heidi, a seasoned Speech-Language Pathologist with 15 years of experience running her own multidisciplinary practice, the Leadership Academy represented a crucial bridge between clinical expertise and systemic advocacy. "This experience has truly allowed me to grow from a direct service provider into a systemic advocate."

When Heidi unexpectedly stepped into managing five special education classrooms through BOCES, she knew she needed more than natural leadership instincts. She needed what she calls the "administrative architecture"—fiscal management, curriculum evaluation, and frameworks to dismantle institutional barriers. What drew her to MCLA's Leadership Academy was its commitment to keeping social justice and equity at the forefront of every leadership decision. "MCLA provided the 'missing pieces' of my professional toolkit while never losing sight of the most important part: keeping social justice at the heart of every decision."

The Leadership Academy's coursework proved immediately applicable. When Heidi became principal in the Camden Central School District as it transitioned to becoming a community school, her training helped her establish programs addressing systemic barriers, including a dental assistance program and a family school navigator position. Curriculum courses with Dr. Slattery equipped her to lead a district-wide shift to the Science of Reading. She guided a comprehensive pilot year analyzing two curricula before adopting the most effective one. "The skills and knowledge I gained from Dr. Slattery were instrumental in my ability to be a strong leader through the change."

Working with Professor Marianne Young in courses on supervising teaching and learning helped her build the foundation of her leadership career, forging what she calls her "servant leadership" approach to improving climate and culture. Perhaps most transformative was the data course. "The data course and the project to conduct a district data and equity audit launched my understanding in a whole new light." The Leadership Academy reframed data as a storytelling tool that reveals which students are being left behind. "Data tells a story and guides all of the work I do, from teacher evaluations to student growth, curriculum, to fiscal responsibility and budget management."

Today, as Director of Special Education for the East Syracuse Minoa School District, Heidi applies her Leadership Academy training daily. She oversees programs affecting hundreds of students, manages complex budgets including two federal grants, and implements evidence-based curricula, all through the equity-first lens MCLA cultivated. "As a former clinician, I loved helping individual children. But as a Director, I'm empowered to build the frameworks that support hundreds of children." When she identifies achievement gaps through data analysis, she has the Leadership Academy-honed expertise to secure funding, implement appropriate curricula, and provide necessary professional development.

"It is incredibly fulfilling to look at a data set, identify a gap in student achievement, and then use my 'administrative toolkit' to secure the funding, curriculum, and staff training necessary to address it. Knowing that I am helping to create a more equitable school system where every child has an advocate at the district level is what drives me toward the next level of leadership."

Heidi now returns to MCLA's Leadership Academy to facilitate training sessions for current students on navigating New York State's certification process. "Returning to the Leadership Academy, and remaining connected to Marianne, is a profoundly rewarding, full-circle experience." Drawing on her transition from Speech-Language Pathologist to district-level director, she emphasizes that clinical and classroom backgrounds are strengths in administration. "I want to show them that while the technical pieces, like budgeting and exams, are essential, they are ultimately tools that empower us to be more effective advocates."

Looking back, Heidi calls enrolling at MCLA's Leadership Academy "single-handedly the best decision of my adult life." Having completed the Superintendent Development Program through SUNY Oswego in 2023, she now aspires to lead at the highest level, always grounded in the core values the Leadership Academy instilled: equity, social justice, and the belief that every student deserves an advocate at the systemic level.