Barry Brinkley

Executive Director, Equity in Student Achievement, Guilford County Schools

Greensboro, NC, US
Cohort: Campaign for Black Male Achievement, North Carolina, 2018

Barry Omar Brinkley is the Executive Director of Equity in Student Achievement for Guilford County Schools. In this role, he leads the district’s African American Male Achievement Initiative and other equity initiatives including a partnership with Equal Opportunity School—an effort to increase the number of students of color taking Advanced Placement courses. Previously, Barry was a Student Support Consultant and Coach for Turnaround For Children in Washington, DC. He worked directly with teachers and administrators to translate and connect the neuroscience of trauma to everyday school practices through weekly professional development and coaching. Barry was the Founding Director of Community Development for Rocketship Public Schools in Washington DC. He helped establish relationships between community leaders and partners in preparation for Rocketship’s first campus in the District. Barry has also served as the Dean of Student Support at DC Prep Academy. He was the lead administrator for all discipline and attendance issues, parent and community engagement, and college preparation. As Dean, Barry also helped to build a schoolwide behavior management program. Barry has a MA in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Family and Child Development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Barry was a member of the 2017 cohort of the School Systems Leaders Fellowship with Cambiar Education and Teach For America. He was also a 2018 fellow in the Building Beloved Community Leadership Fellowship with the Campaign for Black Male Achievement.