Letter of Introduction

My name is Lindsey Dianne Appleton, and I am an educator, advocate, organizer, food blogger, dog
lover, writer, and mentor.

In my short time on this planet I have lived a variety of lives, ranging from being the lead singer of a rock
band to working in marketing and advertising. In creating this portfolio, I’ve been able to consider the
people, organizations, and experiences that have influenced my leadership trajectory. I’ve been able to
track my record of achievement, review my impact on those I’ve worked with and those I’ve managed,
and develop my own strategic plan for my career.

In attempting to summarize my personal mission, I came to the following statement: “To love myself, the
world, and those around me through my actions, words, and work. To be a contributor to joy.”

I discovered how to love myself through pursuing my scholarly and extracurricular passions; I discovered
how to love the world through my work with disadvantaged populations and research on how my actions
and beliefs affect the greater community; I discovered how to love those around me by diving in to the
messy work of battling educational and social inequity as both a teacher and a leader. My leadership
trajectory was and is directly impacted and propelled by my work with Teach for America, the
AmeriCorps, and the opportunities I have been given to cultivate, practice, and hone my skills as an
entrepreneurial networker who thrives in interpersonal, diverse, fast-paced settings.

This professional portfolio is the physical result of three years of trial and error, paper and digital surveys,
observations and evaluations, and much self and career reflection. My most recent work experience, being
a coordinator at Thrive Public Schools, is to thank for the in-depth and revealing data. Included in this
portfolio are my curriculum vitae, audits and evaluations, my own work processes, academic and student-
centered data, and anonymous student, parent, and teacher testimonials.

I hope you enjoy viewing this portfolio as much as I did in creating it.

Sincerely,

Lindsey D. Appleton