Wanda Cook-Robinson
Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson is an instructional architect. She creates educational environments where all children can reach their optimum potential. Her career has spanned over thirty years, having journeyed from the classroom as a special education teacher to a senior-level administrator who has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues nationwide. She has maintained two guiding pillars: a passion for student excellence and mentorship.
An outspoken advocate on equity issues for women, Dr. Cook-Robinson co-founded the Minority Women's Network, which supports women and educators across the nation. With a zealous commitment to equity for ALL students, Dr. Cook-Robinson led an advisory group of state education leaders, known as the School Finance Research Collaborative, to complete a game-changing study that began in 2018 to determine the actual cost of educating a student within Michigan.
Dr. Cook-Robinson has received many accolades both as a leader in education and as a dedicated community member, including being named 2013 "State of Michigan Superintendent of the Year" by the Michigan Association of School Administrators and, that same year, "National Finalist, Superintendent of the Year" by the American Association of School Administrators. In October 2023, she received the "Women Rock Science Outstanding Leader Award" from the Cranbrook Institute of Science for her dedication to encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. In 2021, she was included on the list of Crain's Detroit Business "100 Most Notable Women in Leadership." In 2019, Dr. Cook-Robinson was honored by The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) as a recipient of the "Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award," which recognizes leaders whose attributes include a personal commitment to diversifying the field of education with high-quality leaders and ensuring the best education for all students. That same year, AASA honored Dr. Cook-Robinson with the "Women in School Leadership Award." She also received the Wayne State University College of Education Alumni Association's "Distinguished Educator" award.
Dr. Cook-Robinson is highly active in her community, having served on several boards, including the Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union board. She was the first African American member of the foundation board for the Association of Education Service Agencies and, in March 2020, became the first African American president-elect of that same organization. She is also a member of the board of governors for the Cranbrook Institute of Science, the President Emeritus of the School Finance Research Foundation, and the Vice President of the Zonta Club of Southfield.
Dr. Cook-Robinson retired in 2024 as the Superintendent of Oakland Schools, a position she held from 2015-2024. In this role, she applied her years of educational experience and vast leadership skills to support the academic achievement of more than 200,000 students in Oakland County's 28 public school districts and 24 public school academies. She holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University, a master's degree in Curriculum Development and Supervision from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education from Michigan State University. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of the Urban Superintendents Association of America Inc.
