Nikisha Patton Handy

Nikisha Patton Handy is a mother, educator, and business owner. She began teaching in 2005 as a special education teacher. In 2008, Nikisha moved to Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and had the opportunity to build the special education program of a charter school. This experience both challenged and encouraged her to always seek to make a greater impact in the lives of all students. After moving back to the Dallas area in 2010, she decided to pursue her principal’s certification. Nikisha served as Department Chair of the Special Education Department to support both general and special educators to effectively serve all students, especially those students with disabilities. She served as a school-wide interventionist to help students to increase fluency of prerequisite skills necessary to be successful in their current grades, instead of falling further behind to close the achievement gap. Nikisha was given an opportunity to make an even greater impact at the District level of a local charter school as the Special Programs Intervention Coordinator. In 2016, she left working for school districts to become a stay-at-home mother to support her family. She currently serves as an adjunct professor, and has since become the business owner of 2 Inspire Peace.

Education and Credentials

Nikisha Patton Handy has been an educator for over 12 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and Master Degree in Special Education with a Specialization in Behavioral Interventionist from the University of North Texas. Certified to teach Special Education EC-12, ELAR 4-8, ESL EC-12, and Core Subjects EC-6, she is interested in positively influencing a variety of ages and grades. Nikisha is currently pursuing her doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. She is also a CAMP fellow for Dallas Kids First, an alumni of Dallas' first BCLI (Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute) cohort, member of the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators. In addition, Nikisha is a certified Mindfulness Practitioner and CBT Cognitive Behavior Life Coach.

Closing Statement

Nikisha Patton Handy is currently serving as a mentor throughout the community, and hosts events for to bring awareness to the importance of maintaining a mindful and holistic well-being to increase productivity and address what is currently holding us back to effectively and positively pour into ourselves and our future. Her entire career has always been to positively impact and give service to all, but especially those in the educational arena. She wouldn’t have it any other way.