Susan Ward Roncalli, Ph.D., earned her doctorate from Claremont Graduate University, where her research centered on trauma-informed, student-centered approaches to Social Emotional Learning (SEL), with a particular focus on the role of student voice in identifying effective practices. She brings a rare combination of deep scholarly expertise and extensive systems-level leadership experience.
Her leadership spans influential roles at the state and national levels, including service on the California Department of Education Task Force, the National SEL Practitioner Advisory Group for the American Institutes for Research, and California’s CASEL Collaborating States Initiative. She also contributed to the California State SEL Policy Workgroup and the First Partner’s Advance SEL in California Initiative, helping shape policy and implementation strategies across the state.
A veteran educator with more than 30 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Dr. Ward-Roncalli is a National Board–Certified Teacher and former secondary English Language Arts instructor. She has presented nationally and internationally on SEL and service learning, and has designed and taught graduate-level coursework on SEL through UC Berkeley Extension, and has deep knowledge of SEL curriculum design and implementation and classroom focused, research-based practices.
Dr. Ward-Roncalli currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Youth Leadership Council, underscoring her longstanding commitment to advancing youth voice, equity, and leadership development.
