Joe Romano

Joe Romano is an experienced educator and design professional currently serving as a Partner at Leadership + Design (L+D).1 With over 20 years of experience in education, Joe has worked in various roles including teaching at community colleges, artist residencies, and independent schools.1

In his current position at L+D, Joe contributes to several key initiatives:

1. He collaborates on the UnMastered online unlearning experience
2. He works on the L+D United membership program
3. He facilitates sessions on Futurist Thinking, Design Thinking, and Portrait of a Graduate1

Alongside his role at L+D, Joe is also the Director of Innovation at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington.1 His expertise lies in transforming educational spaces and programs. Some of his notable achievements include:

• Converting empty parking lots into classrooms for designing and building tiny homes
• Facilitating the redesign of libraries, community spaces, and fabrication labs
• Helping launch new school campuses and signature programs
• Guiding groups in developing new school values and strategic initiatives1

Joe's background includes experience as a Library Media Specialist at Annie Wright Schools, where he also taught Humanities and Architecture and Design.2 He has been actively involved in promoting design thinking in education, recognizing its potential to prepare students for an uncertain future by cultivating problem-solving and problem-finding abilities.2

Outside of his professional life, Joe enjoys trail running, gardening, and spending time with his wife and two daughters in the Pacific Northwest.1