Atlanta Public Schools Relaunches Ombuds Program

Deirdre Smith and Quinton Stroud have been selected to reestablish the Organizational Ombuds Office for the public school system in Georgia. Smith is the Organizational Ombuds and Stroud is the Equity Policy Analyst. Together they serve as a resource for 55,000 students and their families, and also employees and community stakeholders. The Atlanta Public Schools previously had an Ombuds program from 2014 through 2017. (APS Ombuds.)

Smith brings two decades of experience in education and child advocacy to the position. Most recently she was a program manager for the Georgia Department of Education. She has also worked for the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights and non-profits community organizations, and as a middle school teacher. Smith graduated from the University of North Carolina and earned a JD at Indiana University. (LinkedIn.)

Stroud has been a policy analyst and researcher on the role of the arts in education, philanthropy, and the policymaking process. He has worked for the Bloomington Arts Commission, Indiana Arts Commission, and in the Education division at the RAND Corporation. Stroud is the founder of the Black Joy Collective and author of a children's book and original screenplay. He graduated from Florida A&M University, and earned a MS at the University of Pennsylvania. He is completing a PhD at Indiana University. (LinkedIn.)

Related posts: Ombuds Offices Shine Near Atlanta; Internship: Atlanta Public Schools; Job Re-Posting: Atlanta Public Schools.