Liz Thacker is a leader in family and community engagement and Community Schools at the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), where she supports national, state, and district efforts to strengthen partnerships between families, schools, and communities. She facilitates national strategy sessions and leads networks of district leaders focused on building effective, equitable family engagement and Community Schools systems. Liz’s work centers on dual capacity building, co-design, and elevating family leadership through systems-level strategies. She partners with practitioners across the country to translate research and strategy into actionable, evidence-informed approaches that support sustainable practice.