2026 Civic Engagement Conference

Dr. Ralita Cheeks, Ed.D. is an educator, school counselor, author, speaker, and founder of Lead • Learn • Belong™ LLC. Her work focuses on helping schools, organizations, and communities strengthen belonging by examining the everyday interactions, assumptions, and practices that shape whether people feel seen, valued, and empowered to contribute.

Dr. Cheeks brings experience across K–12 education, higher education, leadership development, counseling, and youth programming. She is the author of Cracking the Code: Building Inclusive Culture & Climate and has presented at the state and national level on topics including belonging, leadership, school culture, and the use of artificial intelligence in counseling.

At the heart of her work is a simple belief: people experience belonging one interaction at a time. Through Lead • Learn • Belong™, Dr. Cheeks equips individuals and organizations to move beyond good intentions and intentionally create spaces where people have a voice, opportunities to contribute, and the confidence to lead.