Dr. Althea M. Hammond is a native of Chicago and is a proud product of Chicago Public Schools. Dr. Hammond has worked for Chicago Public Schools for the last 25 years. Her roles have included: Intermediate and middle school Math and Science teacher, Science coach, School Counselor and Case Manager, and School Business Manager. Currently she is the Instructional Leader and Principal at Plamondon STEM Elementary School, a Mentor Principal through the Chicago Leadership Collaborative, a Professional Learning Community Leader, and an Adjunct faculty member at DePaul University in the Office of Innovative Professional Learning - providing professional development and consulting on the development and action of equity and social justice based educational practices in schools.

Dr. Hammond believes that public education can be a “game changer” for children – assisting in providing equitable access to learning that will propel their lives forward to heights unknown. She says, “My job is to ensure that the teachers I lead and the children who are served by my school get the best I have to offer. This means, I can’t be complacent – stuck in the current state. I have to continuously build my own capacity so that I can give my 100% daily.”