About Andrew
Andrew Knips is a leadership coach, racial literacy trainer, and data consultant with a passion for developing leaders to improve their organizational culture in service of intersectional equity. As a white man with nearly every privileged identity, he leans into both the importance and contradictions of his positionality in his work around race, gender and equity. Andrew started his career as a high school teacher and administrator in Philadelphia's public, alternative, and charter schools. He is a co-author of the book, Equity in Data: A Framework for What Counts in Schools. He is also a professional table tennis coach. Andrew’s core services include:
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Leadership Coaching
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Executive / Leadership Coaching: Helping education and business leaders flourish and better serve their teams and community
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Racial Literacy Coaching: Building leaders’ skills and stamina to navigate racially stressful and complex workplace dynamics
Data Consulting
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Measuring and Evaluating Impact: Collaborating with small DEI-focused organizations to clarify and understand their impact
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Equity Audits and Engagement Surveys: Supporting schools and organizations to understand and act on staff perspectives and experiences
Facilitation
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Affinity Groups: Facilitating spaces for white people seeking to resolve gendered and racialized workplace challenges. Learn more here.
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Designing and facilitating workshops and learning spaces for healthier, happier organizations.
Andrew is currently open to discussing contract work and projects that align to his core services and passion.
Values
Compassion | Candor | Collaboration | Communication
Compassion: Care for each other and care for the people we serve enables us to bring our full, authentic selves to our work. Human connection comes first.
Candor: Integrity and transparency build deep trust and connection. Being open about who we are and who we want to be creates the vulnerability necessary for true collaboration.
Collaboration: we live, work, and breathe together. There is no hierarchy and no “expert” – only a group of talented people with their own unique experiences, perspectives and expertise.
Communication: our written, verbal, and nonverbal interactions are the pathway to optimal human engagement and relationships. Open communication creates meaningful connection.
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Mission
Andrew develops leaders to improve their organizational culture
in service of intersectional equity
Mission explained
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Develops leaders — Andrew partners with leaders and leadership teams to build their racial literacy, organization skills, data systems, and leadership style. He draws on mindfulness and therapeutic practices, a range of tools and frameworks, and client-driven needs and aspirations.
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Organizational culture — Andrew helps foster caring, engaged, human-centered teams and organizations. He improves communication, clarity, and systems to bridge gaps between leaders, staff, clients and communities.
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Intersectional equity — Andrew takes an intersectional (Crenshaw, 1989) approach to his work. He both prioritizes racial equity and also believes that unpacking the many complex social identities and positionalities that produce privilege and marginalization is necessary for collective liberation.
Clients
Partner Organizations
Social Justice
PreK-12 Education
Higher Education
Health
Legal + Private Equity
Social Services + Nonprofits
Publishing
Sports + Athletics
Core Services
Leadership Coaching
Executive / Leadership Coaching
Helping education and business leaders flourish and better serve their teams and community.
Racial Literacy Coaching
Building leaders’ skills and stamina to navigate racially stressful and complex workplace dynamics.
Data Consulting
Measuring and Evaluating Impact
Collaborating with DEI-focused organizations to clarify and understand their impact.
Equity Audits and Engagement Surveys
Supporting schools and organizations to understand and act on staff perspectives and experiences.
Facilitation
Affinity Groups
Facilitating spaces for white people seeking to resolve gendered and racialized workplace challenges.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Designing and facilitating workshops and learning spaces for healthier, happier organizations.
Additional services available upon request
Recent Publications
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Equity in Data: A Framework for What Counts in Schools (ASCD)
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Coaches: It’s OK to Pump the Brakes on Data Practices (ASCD)
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Funding our Future: Fixing an Inadequate and Inequitable School Funding System (Teach Plus)
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Sharing the Wealth: Five Practices for Fostering Shared Leadership (Teach Plus)
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The Levers of Teacher Leadership: Growing Student Achievement, Improving Schools (Teach Plus)
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9 Big Questions Education Leaders Should Ask to Address Covid-19 (Edutopia)
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Here’s One Way to Talk With Teachers About Race in Schools (Education Post)
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I work at a Philly school closed by asbestos. We’re fed up. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Resources
Hey white folks! Interested in deepening your racial literacy knowledge, self-awareness, and skills? Looking for a network of white people working towards racial justice? Seeking guidance on how to be more antiracist at work or home?
Take Andrew's FREE self-guided course!
Antiracism in Action: A Short Course for Aspiring Antiracists
Get a FREE consultation for your org!
Conscious Action: A facilitated course for white men committed to racial and gender justice
Client Testimonials
“Andrew is an exceptional data science partner who brought expertise in re-framing our measurement model to ensure quantitative and qualitative alignment between our learning program curriculum and learning outcomes. Andrew is strategic, precise in building data clarity and a thoughtful partner we all enjoy co-creating and collaborating with to create measurable results and change."
Aurora Archer
Founder and CEO of The Opt-In
“Andrew is an exceptional educational consultant. Andrew has revolutionized my approach to observation and feedback, significantly enriching my leadership toolkit. He is a cherished thought partner, instrumental in designing high-impact instructional leadership team systems. Andrew's guidance has been akin to that of a therapist, addressing critical needs in my role as a principal. As a white male ally, his commitment to equity and support for urban school leaders is unwavering, making him an invaluable asset to any educational endeavor.”
Charlotte Gillum
Principal, Lewis Elkin Elementary School
“Andrew is knowledgeable and curious, always seeking innovative solutions to challenges. His attentive and visionary leadership extends beyond his expertise in curriculum design and coaching, particularly in his passionate commitment to racial justice.”
Yohan Chang
National Policy Curriculum Manager, Teach Plus
