The tiger behind the smile

Linda Darling-Hammond is Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Throughout her impressive career — including serving as education adviser to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign — Darling-Hammond has been heavily involved in efforts to redesign schools.

As chair of the Model Standards Committee of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium, Darling-Hammond led the effort to develop licensing standards for new teachers. And in the early ’90s, as chair of the New York State Council on Curriculum and Assessment, she oversaw the process of developing the state’s learning standards, curriculum frameworks and assessments.

In 2006, Education Week named Darling-Hammond one of the nation's 10 most influential people affecting education policy over the last decade. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the 2010 Brock International Prize in Education for her contribution to the art and science of education, and most recently, the 2012 Grawemeyer Award for her book, “The Flat World and Education.”

Visit Inside the Academy of Education to read more about Darling-Hammond, watch more of her interviews and see photos.