Meet Rekha Krishnan, District Partnerships at Goalbook
Sometimes in the process of teaching others, we learn something new ourselves. This was the case for Rekha in her role as a vocational instructor at a community college. As she introduced students and job seekers to the software and technology sectors in Portland, Oregon, Rekha began to learn more about the private sector as well. She already knew about the education system, having been a high school Credit Recovery and English Language Development teacher before teaching at the community college. However, she learned more about the technology industry as a result of lining up site visits and setting up internships for her students.
It was this learning that inspired Rekha to try something new; she made a career change and worked in sales development for two years, gaining the skills that would transfer to her current role on the District Partnerships team with Goalbook.
In this Q&A, Rekha shares what she has learned about life through her educational and professional journeys.
1. What inspired you to go into education?
I had a bumpy completion of my secondary education. I had always been studious, earning my self-worth through achieving high grades. But then things got unstable at home because I was living with a disabled parent. It started to be hard for me to do my homework because I couldn’t see what I was doing since our electricity would often get shut off. So I became a working student to pay for household bills. I eventually moved out on my own but struggled with housing instability, working, and having a place and time to do homework.
I went from being a straight-A student to being expelled from high school my sophomore year. After being out of school for a while, I got into an alternative school which became my only tether to a stable world. School was the only thing I could hold on to.
Having lived through the experience of being a non-traditional student that fell through the cracks of the traditional school system, I thank the alternative school for catching me.
Upon finishing my high school degree, I attended community college and then online school. I finished college when I was 28.
Once I completed college, the way I processed my educational journey was by helping others who were going through what I did. It was kismet that I got a job working with credit recovery students because that was similar to my own experience. Another bonus was that students would be able to see someone who came from a similar background and experience so they knew it was possible to finish school and get to the other side.
Education is the most powerful tool a young person can use to secure a stable future for themselves or improve their situation. I both benefited from this and realized the consequences of not having an education when I was expelled from high school. I wanted to support students in their journeys of imagining brighter futures for themselves while stressing to them the importance of education being THE lever that can help them improve their lives.
“Education is the most powerful tool a young person can use to secure a stable future for themselves or improve their situation.”
2. What attracted you to Goalbook’s mission?
Anything I can do as a human to level out the circumstances so everyone has access to education is my mission in life. My mission is completely aligned to Goalbook’s mission.
The part of Goalbook’s mission that says “all students succeed” is the through line of my career. I believe in creating more equitable circumstances so that all students can have a bright future, not just the students who fit the traditional or prescribed mold of achievement within the education system.
3. What does your day to day look like?
I’m at the front of the work, educating folks about Goalbook Toolkit. I have the opportunity to connect with special educators and administrators who are looking to support their teachers.
I consult with leaders about their needs, the people they’re supporting, and their district goals. I do this through phone calls, webinars, answering questions, and giving demonstrations of Goalbook Toolkit. People get excited and light up when they know Goalbook Toolkit is going to make things more efficient and effective for their teachers. I literally see them light up; this is the same vibe I got when I was teaching and a student would “get it” and have a new way to do something.
I have the opportunity to travel to conferences and regional meetings and connect with educators face-to-face. I also travel to facilitate meetings with districts. Being in person, meeting, and talking to folks is amazing because people tell me how thankful their teachers are. I would say I travel about 20% of the time, or about once a month.
4. In your eyes, how does your work support Goalbook’s mission?
By showing administrators and teachers how Goalbook Toolkit can improve their practice and help them to be more efficient. When teachers are more efficient, they can spend more time with their students, fostering greater opportunities for student success. I’m helping teachers to feel empowered.
“I measure my impact on the education system by reflecting on the number of students I’ve been able to serve and districts we’ve been able to support.”
5. In your current role, when do you most feel your work is contributing to improve the education system? How do you measure your impact on the education system? How do you know that your work is contributing?
I feel this the most when I have the opportunity to walk through Goalbook Toolkit with a group of educators or district leaders. It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to see excitement and joy when leaders and administrators realize how Goalbook Toolkit can support their team. The fact that I get to share that moment with them in real-time is very special.
I also hear anecdotal stories from district leaders being able to retain teachers or hire teachers because they have Goalbook Toolkit. They report that teachers feel supported, so they’re going to stay on board. If we’re helping to stop all the turnover of teachers, we’re helping to build a stronger foundation for the teachers and the students.
I measure my impact on the education system by reflecting on the number of students I’ve been able to serve and districts we’ve been able to support. I am lucky in my role that teachers and district leaders literally walk up to me at conferences and tell me how they feel supported by Goalbook Toolkit or how much it has improved their practice.
6. What are one or two things you love here?
I love the value that is put on building relationships both internally and externally. It gives us all permission to have that 10 minute conversation with a colleague and be curious about each other’s experiences rather than feeling rushed and that we have to “get down to business” and be human productivity robots immediately. I love that Goalbook recognizes that we’re human beings and the importance of relationships.
“I have learned that I am allowed to provide myself with the space needed to grow … and do my best — which does not have to be perfect, and that being authentic will always be more meaningful than being “perfect.”’
7. What have you learned in your role so far?
In the classroom I always strived for perfection: the perfect lesson plan, the perfect group project, the perfect field trip. I have learned that I am allowed to provide myself with the space needed to grow (Goalbook’s other value, growth) and do my best — which does not have to be perfect, and that being authentic will always be more meaningful than being “perfect.”
People don’t want me to be perfect. They want me to be myself, and I was hired because I was myself. People value authenticity, so being authentic is way more important for the world, for everyone else, for yourself.
Plus, it’s way more fun when you’re authentic.
8. What’s your favorite memory during your time at Goalbook?
Meeting some of my colleagues in a group for the first time. It was at the first conference I went to with Goalbook, and the first national Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) conference after all the pandemic shut downs. There was an air of excitement not just for me, but for all team members and other attendees because it was one of the first times for all of us being around 800 people again.
It was a moment of returning to sharing spaces with colleagues and new friends that we will all collectively remember.
9. What’s something that has made you laugh while at Goalbook?
The Partnerships team. They’re a funny group. We have some really good jokes. We’ve done some really great karaoke together: van karaoke, in person karaoke — it’s all been delightful.
10. What are you watching/reading/listening to right now?
Watching: The Milli Vanilli documentary on Paramount Plus. We all know the story is kind of sad, but it’s so good. Everyone from behind the scenes is in it. The story is finally getting the space it deserves.
Reading: I’m reading Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer by writer Barbara Ehrenreich, who wrote Nickel and Dimed. I’ve been interested in the decolonizing of wellness spaces, questioning who wellness really is for, and learning about the inequitable practices of wellness. This book is along the same lines.
Listening: Matthew McConaughey’s book Greenlights because listening to Matthew McConaughey every day is absolutely delightful. I was feeling kind of stressed out, so I decided to listen to this book, and it was one of the better decisions I’ve made.
11. Early bird or night owl?
Night owl, hands down. I worked in bars for half my life and got programmed to stay up until 4 am. I started working professional jobs when I turned 30, but by then I was already programmed.
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