August 4, 2023 - During the July 25, 2023, Board of Education meeting, Dr. Katy Chambers was approved as the director of equity - operations. Dr. Chambers has been serving as the executive director of human resources in the Brentwood School District (BSD) since July 2021. She will begin transitioning to Special School District in the coming weeks. 

“I am so excited to join a school district focused on individualized student success through a lens of equity,” said Chambers. ”I look forward to serving the students and staff of Special School District as we explore the impact of our District's operational systems on student outcomes. My commitment to ensuring an inclusive and successful learning environment is deeply rooted in my values of  educational equity and belonging.”

In her current role, Chambers leads all aspects of recruitment, retention, evaluation, legal compliance, and operational systems development supporting BSD employees. She initiated and developed training for a district recruitment team, which included learning units on implicit bias, recruitment techniques, and guidelines for conducting legal interviews. She also led the District Equity Committee, which reviewed, revised, and led the implementation of a districtwide equity plan.

Earlier in her career, Chambers served as a school principal at Northwest Middle School in the Hazelwood School District, and Ferguson Middle School and Wedgewood Sixth Grade Center in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. She was also an assistant principal at East and Southeast Middle Schools in Hazelwood. Chambers began her career in education as a social studies teacher at Cross Keys Middle School in Ferguson-Florissant.

Chambers holds a bachelor’s in secondary education from Arizona State, a master’s in educational administration from Saint Louis University, a doctorate in educational administration from Lindenwood University, and an advanced certificate in human resources management from Washington University. She studied abroad at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and served as a school and community resource volunteer for the United States Peace Corps in Cassel Village, South Africa. She credits her Peace Corps experience, where she served a community through cultural awareness and appreciation, as the root of her dedication to educational equity. Building inclusive environments has been a constant thread throughout her career. 

Chambers was recognized as the Middle School Principal of the Year - St. Louis Region by the St. Louis Association of Secondary School Principals in 2021 and as a 30 Under 30 Leader by the North County Inc. Regional Development Association in 2013.