Biography: Dr. Lanise Block, Ed.D., is the Founder and CEO of Sankore, a Cultural Intelligence and Social Innovation consultancy that cultivates courageous leadership across school districts, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Named for the ancient University of Sankore in Timbuktu, Mali, the practice is grounded in the belief that systems don't change until leaders do. During her tenure with Minneapolis Public Schools, Dr. Block served as Content Lead for K-12 Social Studies, where she facilitated the creation of the district's African American History course as part of a broader initiative to establish ethnic studies courses that would count toward graduation credit rather than remain electives. This work required navigating district policy, building cross-sector partnerships with community organizations and higher education institutions, and centering student voice in curriculum decisions laying practical groundwork for the kind of structural change the Social Justice Fellows Program embodied. Dr. Block holds a Doctorate in Critical Pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas, where she serves as Senior Adjunct Faculty. She is the creator of the 5 C's of Courageous Leadership™ framework and co-author of Cultivating Courage: Innovative Strategies for Developing a Critical Equity Leadership Identity.