By Joanie Harmon
UCLA alumnae Nancy Parachini (B.A., Psychology/Sociology ; Ed.D., Educational Leadership Program) and Tonikiaa Orange (’12, M.Ed., Principal Leadership Program), are assuming new roles in the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. Parachini, who most recently served as director of the Principal Leadership Institute (PLI), is now the inaugural executive director of School Leadership Projects and International Partnerships. Orange, who is a graduate of PLI and has been the program’s assistant director since 2019, will take the helm as director.
“I am so grateful to both Dr. Orange and Dr. Parachini for their outstanding work and continued commitment to Ed&IS,” says Wasserman Dean Christina Christie. “The excellence and experience they bring to their new roles ensures that each will achieve great success – Thank you, Tonikiaa and Nancy!”
Parachini’s professional experience provides a strong grounding for her new position, which is focused on developing and leading initiatives and programs that prepare and support PreK–12 educational leaders locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. She will lead the UCLA 21st Century California School Leadership Academy initiatives in collaboration with UC Berkeley, and will continue to serve PLI with policy issues and in seeking funding opportunities.
Parachini has a long and distinguished history as a teacher, principal, and district administrator in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and as an educator and director of programs for school leaders at UCLA. For the last 16 years, she served as PLI’s director, and as such was responsible for the development, implementation, maintenance, evaluation and improvement of the program. Parachini established operational and programmatic objectives and created strategies to increase program resources as well as effectiveness of outreach to prospective students.