Leila Counts currently serves on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board. She is a dedicated educator, small business owner, TUSD parent, and descendant of a long line of Arizona educators. She began her career teaching life skills, history and cultural studies to children with behavioral challenges, and it was in this role that she developed her passion for education. She was honored to play a part in igniting in these “tough” students a passion for learning. She spent several years working one-on-one with families through the foster care system, social services, and substance abuse programs. These experiences demonstrated the critical role of education in a child’s future success.
Leila works with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Pima Community College, the University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, the U.S. Air Force, and other organizations to provide professional development and training for their educators and administrators. She teaches evidence-based, proven methods and practices for increasing the quality of education.
Leila is committed to working hard for every teacher, student, and family in her community. She’s a passionate advocate for educational equity, inclusion, diversity and equal access to an excellent public education for all. Leila believes that every student deserves the opportunity to reach their highest potential, and a high-quality public education is the key to that achievement.