Empower, Equip, and Engage
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Our VISION at the Lucy Leadership Project is to increase the access and opportunity for women educators to positively impact the school systems they serve while improving the working conditions for women in leadership to thrive. ​​​​​​​​​
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Our MISSION is to prepare and empower women educators by equipping them with tools, strategies, words, and a support system to increase their leadership access and opportunities enabling them to thrive.
About Kendra & Kelly
Kendra Washington-Bass, Ph.D.
Dr. Kendra Washington-Bass is an experienced educator, former principal, district administrator, executive coach, and national facilitator with more than 30 years in education. Her work focuses on helping leaders align who they are with how they lead, particularly in complex and high-pressure environments. As a certified CliftonStrengths coach, she supports leaders in leveraging their strengths to build clarity, resilience, and confidence. Dr. Washington-Bass is known for creating spaces where leaders can reflect honestly, reconnect to their purpose, and develop practical strategies for sustainable leadership. She has facilitated leadership development across school districts, state agencies, and national organizations, helping leaders strengthen their impact while protecting their well-being.
Kelly Peaks Horner
Kelly Peaks Horner brings more than 35 years of experience in public education and leadership development. She began her career as a teacher and administrator in Fairfax County Public Schools and later spent over 16 years with Gallup’s Education Practice, where she coached and developed education leaders across the country. Kelly currently serves as a culture consultant and executive coach, partnering with school and district leaders to build courageous, trust-centered cultures. In 2019, she was personally trained by Dr. Brené Brown as a Dare to Lead™ Facilitator and has since trained more than 300 school leaders in courage-based leadership practices. Her work focuses on helping leaders move from armored leadership to courageous leadership, strengthening both individual effectiveness and organizational culture.
Why Lucy?
We were determined to create a space where women educators would come together as a community, acquire tools, strategies, and words that are specific to women leaders. Our lofty goal is to increase the number of women who lead schools, districts, and campuses and who thrive in those positions. We were confident in our mission. We had specific beliefs about what women leaders need to thrive. We just needed a name.
Then…we discovered Lucy.
Lucy, the earliest known human discovered in Ethopia in 1974, got her name when a party broke out the night of the discovery and the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was repeatedly playing in the background.
Here is what was known about “Lucy”…
She walked on two feet.
She spent a lot of time in trees
She provided new insights into the development of the human brain.
A fall from a tree might have been her demise.
She has an Ethiopian name, Dinkinesh, which means “You Are Marvelous’.
It is possible we may all have descended from this amazing Australopithecus that derived from the country of Ethiopia on the continent of Africa.
We choose “Lucy” as the name of the place where we invite women educators at all levels to come and…
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Walk [courageously] tall on two feet.
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Spend time in the “trees” learning, dreaming, and creating your path.
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Discover how you uniquely think, feel, and behave through your strengths.
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Put down your armor and pick up brave leadership. And in doing so know you will fail. Come and create a practice where you will own your story, it will not own you, and you will know how to rise from failure or disappointment in order to choose how your story ends.
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Create a leadership practice of self compassion that includes knowing we are in this together, we will create a community, and live and lead through common humanity. You, too, are marvelous!