Dr. Femi Skanes is a passionate leader who believes that all students should have access to a quality and equitable education. Dr. Skanes has served in many capacities including classroom teacher, literacy coach, reading department chair, assistant principal, and principal. With almost ten years of experience has a high school principal, Dr. Skanes is well known for her commitment to revitalizing schools by fostering positive community relationships. Some recent accomplishments include serving as a 2016 Cahn Distinguished Principal Fellow and currently serving as an advisor
to new fellows. Beyond being a principal, she finds joy in presenting and delivery keynote addresses to encourage, empower, and promote academic success and racial equity.
Dr. Skanes is a consummate lead learner who is always seeking to deepen her leadership skills.
She is a mentor to new principals, a coach to aspiring principals, and a role model to other school leaders. Her humble spirit, amazing sense of humor, and no nonsense leadership style set her apart from other leaders. Dr. Skanes holds five college degrees including: Bachelor of Business Administration from Tennessee State University, Master of Art in Teaching from Chicago State University, Master of Art in Reading and Master of Art in Leadership from Concordia University, and Doctorate of Educational Leadership from National Louis University.
Dr. Skanes is an accomplished mentor, speaker, writer, and school leader. She is a visionary leader and extraordinary problem solver who is often acknowledged for her strong but calm leadership style. As a leader, she is most proud of her ability to develop other successful school leaders.
She is very serious about her most important role in life which is serving as a mother to three wonderful children. Dr. Skanes has a strong passion for supporting blended families. As a child who benefitted from the love of parents and step parents, she soon came to learn that blended families can work when caring adults work together to support a child. After an unsuccessful first marriage, Dr. Skanes remarried Firefighter Christopher R. Skanes and they blended their families. Having experienced and overcome the challenges that arise from blending two families, Dr. Skanes uses her experience to support and encourage healthy interaction in families. She is an encourager to many moms who are experiencing the rough seasons that are inevitable in motherhood. She is passionate about helping parents develop their parenting and leadership skills as a key lever for developing healthy children.
When asked her about her role as a school leader and mentor, Dr. Skanes will swiftly proclaim that leadership is more than a job – it is her ministry. She is unapologetically Christian yet amazingly inclusive. Dr. Skanes seeks to make the world a better place by strengthening parenting skills, molding well rounded children, and making schools pillars in their communities.