Our Advisors

Stearns has written many books on world history, the history of childhood, and emotions history. Recent books include The American Child. (Oxford) and Industrial Revolution in World History, 6th ed

Dr. Debra E. Lane is a global operations and people leadership executive with more than 25 years of experience advancing organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and strategic execution across government, education, and international development. Her career spans the Peace Corps, the U.S. Department of Defense, state and local education systems, and international schools across four continents. 

As Director of Programming and Training for the Peace Corps in Vietnam, Dr. Lane oversees volunteer programming, training, and development while managing a $2.1 million budget. In 2025, she served as Acting Country Director, providing country-level leadership and operational oversight. Previously, at the Defense Health Agency, she led global leadership development initiatives serving more than 13,000 civilian leaders. As Coordinator in the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of School Quality, she helped oversee $240 million in federal grant portfolio funds and helped secure nearly $30 million for school improvement initiatives across five school divisions.

In addition to her executive leadership, Dr. Lane is a published author and international speaker whose work focuses on gender equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), women’s leadership, and safe, supportive organizational cultures. Her publications include Calling to Action: Fixing Workspaces, Not Women and Raise Her Up, reflecting her commitment to addressing systemic barriers and creating environments in which individuals and organizations can thrive.

Dr. Lane holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia, along with master’s degrees in Educational Leadership and Supervision and Curriculum and Instruction. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and has completed advanced leadership programs through Harvard Graduate School of Education and other recognized institutions.