Dr. Keitha Burnett
Dr. Keitha Burnett, a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, is an author, a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) since 2000, a community activist, and an educator for 40 years with Miami-Dade County Schools and Charter Schools. She co-chairs the Community Scientific Advisory Board of the Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities, a joint venture with Florida International University and the University of Miami.
40 years as an Educator, Author, Community Activist
She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Dakota, and a Ph.D. from Florida International University. Dr. Burnett was recognized by Bethune-Cookman University Alumni as an outstanding educator, served on the State of Florida Instructional Evaluation Committee, and advisor to the Youth Council of the South Dade Chapter of the NAACP.
For 40 years, Dr. Burnett spanned her teaching career across a number of South Florida schools. She served a variety of communities, from underserved neighborhoods, to top-rated magnet schools. From public school settings to charter and private sectors, her experience has been gathered from a broad spectrum of cultures, economic backgrounds, and academics.
Career highlights
Dr. Burnett’s career has a number of impactful highlights. For two decades, she coached students in Black History and Cultural Brain Bowl, guiding her teams to multiple championships, including state.
Dr. Burnett’s dedication to underserved migrant communities also led her to founding Lawrence Academy, the first charter high school in Florida City, FL. From 2005-2015, the academy served students k-12 grade. Under her leadership, it became the first charter institution in South Dade accredited by SACS, with more than 70% of graduates going on to pursue a college education.
During the height of the COVID epidemic, Dr. Burnett organized a drive-by recognition for the class of 2020 in her community with the help of the Miami-Dade Police, former Commissioner Dennis Moss Office, and South Dade Branch of the NAACP.
Dr. Burnett initiated the “Call to Action” Symposium at Gulliver Preparatory School during the 2021-2022 school year which became an annual event. This student platform provides the opportunity for a diverse group of students to express their opinions based on sound logic and research. The presentations revolve around contemporary political, economic, and social issues that individual decisions and collective action can address. In our evolving and dynamic world, constructive dialogue promotes global awareness, creative thought, and potential resolutions.
Education beyond the classroom
Dr. Burnett transformed her experiences into a reflective book, The Last One Hundred and Eighty Days in 2019, highlighting lessons of resilience. She presented a paper, “Building a Model to Measure Resilience,” at the 25th Annual International Conference on Education in Athens, Greece, and she is working on a book related to the topic that is scheduled for release Fall of 2026. The previous year, she presented a paper entitled, The Power of Purposeful Portfolios in Social Science: An Inclusive Approach to Comprehensive Teaching.
WINGS is an extension of Dr. Burnett’s lifelong commitment to education, civic engagement, women’s issues, social-environmental justice, and mental health awareness.
After decades of serving students, families, schools, and communities, Dr. Keitha D. Burnett envisioned a way for her work to continue beyond the classroom. Together with former students, W.I.N.G.S. International Foundation was founded to carry forward her commitment to education, civic engagement, women’s issues, social-environmental justice, and mental health awareness.