Anna Villalta

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT ANNA VILLALTA

I am a faculty member in the Department of Education at Concordia University, where I teach in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education (ECEE) teacher education program. My teaching and research are grounded in equity, diversity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and social justice education. I am passionate about preparing future educators to lead with empathy, cultural awareness, and a commitment to inclusive excellence.With over 30 years of experience as a teacher, school administrator, system-level leader, and educational I am an educational leadership researcher, policy advisor, and senior system leader with more than 30 years of experience shaping learning, leadership, and organizational change across Québec’s education network. I currently serve as a Faculty Lecturer in the Department of Education at Concordia University, Managing Editor of LEARNing Landscapes Journal, and Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Alliance Donne, Femmes Italiennes du Québec, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Italian‑heritage women through connection, dialogue, and visibility in arts, culture, entrepreneurship, academia, and professional sectors. I also serve on the Advisory Board on English Education (ABEE), where I advise the Québec Minister of Education on English‑language educational services across elementary, secondary, adult, and vocational sectors.My doctoral research in Educational Studies at McGill University focuses on educational leadership and decolonizing leadership practices. I examine how leaders can dismantle colonial legacies and foster restorative, antiracist, and socially just educational environments. My work integrates a critical race stance and an abolitionist framework, challenging leaders to rethink how we build equitable, sustainable, and humanizing school systems.Previously, I held senior roles as teacher, principal, Assistant Director of Educational Services, and Regional Director at the English Montreal School Board, where I led major initiatives in curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, equity, and system‑level improvement.Fluent in English, French, and Italian, I bring a multilingual and multicultural lens to leadership, governance, and community engagement. I am passionate about supporting organizations and leaders in cultivating inclusive cultures, strengthening governance, and designing learning environments where every voice is valued and every learner can thrive.