Dr. Kati Haycock, Director, Education Trust in Washington D.C.

With guest introduction by KidsOhio.org Chair, Abigail Wexner U.S. World and News Report called her an "Education Reformer." The Washington Post labeled her "provocateur, one of the unsung forces behind the No Child Left Behind law." A leading force and outspoken voice in American education, Dr. Kati Haycock, director of the Washington-based Education Trust, speaks on behalf of the nation's children.

Because Haycock inherited the green eyes and blonde hair of her German mother, rather than the dark looks of her Latino father, as a child she found her teachers treated her differently than the other Latino and Hispanic children.

Today, through her education policy and research organization, her main mission is to make sure minority and low income students aren't sidelined. The good news she reports is that low achieving students do better than expected when enrolled in challenging courses. Haycock's message hits a cord with all schools struggling to serve an increasingly diverse population, but brings hope that major accomplishments towards better education for America's children are within our grasp.