The Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education (MITIE), a joint partnership of the University of St. Thomas School of Education and Morrison Family College of Health, has named Eyenga Bokamba as its new director. Bokamba is a leader in education and the arts with over 20 years of experience advocating for healthy, creative communities.
MITIE was founded to develop, support and advance the field of trauma-informed and trauma-engaged education and launched in May 2021. The Institute seeks to provide an arena for scholars, practitioners and researchers to convene and learn about the latest practices in trauma-informed education.
Bokamba most recently served as a school leader within the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) District as the director of Menlo Park Academy, a trauma-informed contract alternative high school offering credit recovery through experiential, multidisciplinary studies. She was also a MITIE Senior Fellow from 2021-22, allowing her the opportunity to engage with her colleagues in the field and explore topics related to addressing vicarious trauma, engaging parents in trauma-informed practices and addressing larger systems to expand the network of trauma-informed schools.
Prior to MPS, Bokamba served as the executive director of Intermedia Arts, a multidisciplinary arts center based in Minneapolis. In addition to serving as a classroom teacher and department chair in the Hopkins School District, Bokamba held an appointment with former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman’s administration as the executive director of Sprockets, a citywide system for advancing quality after-school programs and expanding professional development opportunities for youth workers in St. Paul.
In 2006, Bokamba was named as a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow and in 2007 she earned an M.Ed in the Arts and Education at Harvard University.
With collaboration and stakeholder engagement as hallmarks of her leadership, Bokamba is prepared to champion the MITIE vision and lead strategic priorities as MITIE engages strategically with Minnesota schools and communities.
