Dr. Dionne A. Blue is the Chief Equity Officer for Columbus City Schools, where she is responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive and collaborative vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion. On a mission to create equitable outcomes for all students, she is focused on improving student access and opportunities, and addressing the systemic barriers that produce disproportionate student outcomes.

Prior to her current role for Columbus City Schools, Dr. Blue served as the Chief Diversity Officer for Indiana’s third-largest public school district, and was a program officer in the non-profit sector where she helped to plan and orchestrate professional development and technical assistance for teachers and small school leaders around the state of Ohio.

As a previous higher education professional turned K-12 administrator, Dr. Blue has a unique perspective on ways to build more cohesive systems to help all students, from preschool through post-secondary education, become more successful. Her work has influenced teachers, K-12 administrators, and staff to broaden their definitions of and approach to equity inside and outside of the classroom.

Aside from professional development for teachers and staff, she is also responsible for ensuring equity and inclusion within district policies, practices, and processes across all areas of the district, including curriculum development, instruction, talent development, and family/community engagement.

Dr. Blue earned her Ph.D. in Integrated Teaching and Learning from The Ohio State University, where her research focused on racial identity development and the impact of social contexts on education. She received a Master of Arts Degree in Literacy Education from Washington State University, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Spelman College, where she majored in English and minored in Spanish.

Dr. Blue has written a number of publications and serves on various boards, including the Evansville YWCA and the National Endowment for Financial Education. She is a member of several organizations for professionals in the fields of education, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Dr. Blue has been with Columbus City Schools since 2019.