WHO WE ARE

Harvard Graduate School of Education, Girls Education Trailblazer, Girls School Founder & Educational Consultant, Awarded Harvard Graduate School of Education’s  Phyllis Strimling Award for the Advancement of Women. As a girls’ school founder and educator for over 20 years, Lisa is recognized as a girls’ education visionary. She was also recently nominated for Harvard’s Intellectual Contribution Award and presented with the Women Making a Difference Award by Zonta International. 

Lisa was selected by Harvard’s Venture Program, a prestigious recognition for “visionaries whose bold thinking shifts the paradigm and ideas that are not just new, but revelatory.” 

As a founding principal, Lisa spent a year researching best practices at the nation’s leading girls’ schools. She soon began creating the Leadership Model School Framework, a powerful new approach integrating leadership and core values at the center of school life. 

 Lisa has a Masters from Harvard  Graduate School of Education, where she is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and School Development. 

She partnered with Winston - Salem Public Schools literacy expert, Cynthia Needham,  to create and found the JUST Girls World Organization. 

Cynthia Needham is an award-winning educator committed to creating a welcoming,

intellectually stimulating, inclusive healthy and safe environment for young women. 

Prior to co-launching JUST Girls World, Cynthia enjoyed a successful career in Education with the belief that teacher leaders are visionaries with abilities to nourish the spirit of their students. 

She believes mentoring and focusing on empowering girls will enable the positive momentum in the present and then going forward in their futures.

Passionate about developing plans engaging girls in leadership opportunities and enlightening them to their life and career possibilities. She has exceptional interpersonal and communication skills in leading, collaborating and serving girls from diverse backgrounds.

Cynthia is a qualified educator, trainer, mentor and advocate for leading and supporting girls.

Her background includes a Master’s degree in Information Science with the field of study of

School Media Librarianship, graduating with Honors. 

She also completed the Reading Degree Program – Reading Education and graduated with Honors. Undergraduate accomplishments included a B.A. degree in Health Education and Promotional Communication and an Associate degree in Health Education – Certified Wellness Instructor.

Her professional career has allowed her to excel with multiple awards as Teacher of the Year;

Teacher Leader where she was instrumental in developing and enrichment program for 8 to 12 year old girls; School Leadership Team member; Century Teacher Mentor; and STAR3 Teacher Leader Academy.

In addition, she initiated and coordinated the 100 Book Club; directed multiple School News Broadcasts; Creative Writing Contests; Camp READ A LOT Event; Readers Theater, The Reading Buddy Program; Yoga Kids; and Movement and Poetry.