At Connecting Forward, we believe in the power of meaningful connections to driveorganizational transformation.
Our team of experienced education professionals brings decades of combined expertise in school improvement, leadership development, and organizational change.
Charisse Taylor, Ed.L.D., LCSW
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Committed to “creating opportunities for young people to thrive”, Dr. Taylor has dedicated her life to supporting equity and excellence in education for young people from marginalized communities.
Charisse Taylor doesn’t just talk about change — she engineers it. A nationally respected strategist, innovator, and equity architect, she has spent over two decades transforming public education, reimagining workforce systems, and building the infrastructure for climate equity. Her impact spans the largest school districts in the country, where she’s led systemic reform serving over 1 million students, and into the heart of historically excluded communities, where she’s built career pipelines in green construction and tech.
As the founder of Connecting Forward, Charisse leads with sharp strategy and deep empathy — connecting policy, practice, and people. She mobilizes superintendents, nonprofit CEOs, and workforce coalitions to confront structural barriers and co-design futures rooted in justice and belonging. Her leadership lives at the intersection of data and dignity, where spreadsheets meet soul and systemic repair becomes real.
Recognized by institutions like Harvard and featured on national stages, Dr. Taylor is a systems shifter: turning bold ideas into measurable impact — and making sure no community gets left behind.
Areas of Expertise
Continuous Improvement
Organizational & Board Strategy Alignment
Program Design and Implementation
Equity-Centered Innovation
In The Media
Dr. Charisse Taylor Reveals the FUTURE You Never Knew Was Possible
Dr. Charisse Taylor Explains What Makes for Good Leaders
Dr. Charisse Taylor EXPOSES the Secret to Educating Gen Z
No connection, no curiosity, no courage, no change.
