NATIONAL LEADERSHIP, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, RESEARCH, MEDIA & POVERTY-INFORMED TRANSFORMATION INSTITUTION
The Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™
Equity-Centered Leadership Program
The Poverty-to-Power
Leadership Framework™ for Systemic Change
Developed By Dr. Tekemia Dorsey
MSDE-Approved Executive Leadership Program
CPD Course #26-68-19 | Earn Up to 5 MSDE CPD Units
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Build the Leadership Capacity to Transform Systems, Expand Opportunity, and Improve Outcomes
Today's leaders face unprecedented challenges.
Opportunity gaps persist.
Disability access barriers remain.
Workforce readiness demands continue to evolve.
Families seek stronger partnerships.
Communities expect measurable results.
The question is no longer whether change is needed.
The question is whether leaders have the capacity, framework, and strategy to create sustainable change that improves outcomes for students, organizations, and communities.
The Equity-Centered Leadership: The Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™ for Systemic Change program was designed to meet that challenge.
This 75-hour executive leadership experience equips leaders with practical tools, systems-change strategies, and a proven framework for expanding access, strengthening opportunity, and creating measurable impact.
Earn Up to 5 MSDE CPD Units
Hybrid Executive Cohort
Limited Enrollment
Why This Matters
Every system produces exactly what it was designed to produce.
When access is limited, opportunity narrows.
When opportunity narrows, outcomes decline.
When outcomes decline, communities pay the price.
Across education, workforce development, nonprofits, and community systems, leaders continue to face challenges related to:
• Opportunity Gaps
• Educational Inequities
• Disability Inclusion
• Postsecondary Readiness
• Workforce Development
• Student Engagement
• Family Partnerships
• Community Trust
These are not isolated challenges.
They are leadership challenges.
And leadership challenges require leadership solutions.
Leadership Access™ Is the Missing Variable
Most leadership models focus on performance.
Most equity models focus on compliance.
The Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™ focuses on Leadership Access™.
Leadership Access™ is the ability of individuals, students, families, educators, organizations, and communities to access the opportunities, resources, pathways, influence, and systems that shape outcomes.
When leadership access expands:
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Opportunity expands.
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When opportunity expands:
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Outcomes improve.
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When outcomes improve:
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Communities transform.
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When communities transform:
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Generations change.
Why Most Leaders Struggle to Create Lasting Change
Most leaders care deeply.
Most leaders work tirelessly.
Most leaders want better outcomes.
Yet many have never been given a practical framework for addressing
systemic barriers and sustaining change.
Traditional professional development often focuses on awareness.
Many leadership programs emphasize theory.
Many improvement efforts focus on symptoms rather than systems.
The result?
Initiatives come and go.
Momentum fades.
Staff become overwhelmed.
Students experience inconsistent outcomes.
Organizations struggle to sustain progress.
The problem is not effort.
The problem is the absence of leadership architecture.
Imagine What Becomes Possible
Imagine leading with confidence instead of uncertainty.
Imagine using data to identify root causes instead of reacting to symptoms.
Imagine creating systems that continue producing results long after an initiative ends.
Imagine building stronger pathways between education, workforce readiness, community engagement, and economic mobility.
Imagine having a practical framework that helps you lead difficult conversations, influence policy, improve outcomes, and create lasting impact.
Imagine becoming the leader your students, staff, families, organization, and community need right now.
That is the transformation this program is designed to create.
Executive Leadership Outcomes
Leadership Capacity
Develop the confidence, executive presence, and strategic thinking to lead transformational change.
Community Impact
Build meaningful partnerships that improve outcomes across education, workforce, nonprofit, and public sectors.
Systems Transformation
Design and implement sustainable solutions that improve organizational performance and long-term outcomes.
Organizational Results
Graduate with a capstone, implementation strategy, executive credential, and tools that can be applied immediately.
Equity Leadership
Apply equity-centered leadership practices that strengthen opportunity, access, and measurable impact.
Strategic Decision-Making
Lead with confidence by using data, systems thinking, and evidence-informed strategies to make decisions that improve organizational performance and long-term impact.
Built on the Poverty-to-POWER Leadership Framework™
Unlike traditional executive education programs built around disconnected leadership concepts, the DTD Leadership Institute™ Executive Leadership Certificate Program is grounded in Dr. Tekemia Dorsey's proprietary Poverty-to-POWER Leadership Framework™—a comprehensive leadership methodology designed to strengthen organizations, transform systems, expand opportunity, and deliver measurable results.
Throughout the program, participants apply the Framework through executive discussions, strategic planning, case studies, leadership assessments, and a capstone implementation project that connects learning directly to organizational and community impact.
This Framework serves as the intellectual foundation for every module, executive discussion, leadership activity, and implementation strategy throughout the program.
Traditional Professional Development vs.
This Program
After This Program, You Will Be Able To...
✓ Lead equity-centered initiatives with confidence
✓ Use disaggregated data to identify and address systemic barriers
✓ Strengthen inclusive and disability-responsive practices
✓ Improve transition services and postsecondary readiness
✓ Build stronger family and community partnerships
✓ Develop workforce readiness pathways
✓ Influence policy and systems change
✓ Design measurable improvement strategies
✓ Lead sustainable transformation within your organization
Why Leaders Trust This Program
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MSDE Approved
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CPD Course #26-68-19
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Approved Through December 31, 2031
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Earn Up to 5 MSDE CPD Units
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Program Highlights
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75 Hours of Professional Learning
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10 Executive Leadership Modules
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Hybrid Learning Experience
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Leadership Coaching
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Executive Cohort Model
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Capstone-Based Learning
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Certificate of Completion
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Grounded In
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Learning Forward Standards
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Maryland Blueprint Priorities
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College & Career Readiness Expectations
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IDEA Transition Indicators
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Universal Design for Learning
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Culturally Responsive Practice
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Evidence-Based Leadership Research
Why I Created the Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™
For years, I observed talented students, families, educators, leaders, and communities struggling not because of a lack of ability, effort, or potential—but because of limited access to opportunity.
I saw systems that unintentionally created barriers.
I saw communities rich in talent yet disconnected from pathways that lead to success.
I saw leaders who cared deeply but lacked a practical framework for creating sustainable change.
The Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™ was created to help leaders identify and remove barriers while building systems that expand opportunity, strengthen outcomes, and create generational impact.
— Dr. Tekemia Dorsey
The Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™
Leadership Access as the Architecture of Generational Change™
The framework is built around five transformational leadership domains:
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Identity & Mindset Leadership
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Educational & Skill Leadership
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Economic & Financial Leadership
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Resilience & Discipline Leadership
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Civic & Community Leadership
Participants learn how to apply these domains across schools, districts, nonprofits, workforce initiatives, transition programs, and community organizations.
Learn from the Creator of the Framework
Dr. Tekemia Dorsey
Developed by the DTD Leadership Institute™, this Executive Leadership Certificate Program is grounded in the proprietary Poverty-to-POWER Leadership Framework™ created by Dr. Tekemia Dorsey.
Founder & CEO, DTD Enterprises, LLC
Founder, DTD Leadership Institute
Executive Educator | Author | Speaker | Leadership Strategist
Creator of the Poverty-to-Power Leadership Framework™
Dr. Dorsey's work focuses on leadership access, systems transformation, disability inclusion, transition services, workforce readiness, community engagement, and creating pathways that move individuals and communities from poverty to power.
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Dr. Tekemia Dorsey
You're Not Learning Alone
Leadership transformation happens in community.
Participants join a cohort of educators, administrators, nonprofit executives, workforce professionals, and community leaders committed to creating meaningful change.
The relationships, collaboration, peer learning, and networking opportunities often become as valuable as the curriculum itself.
What You'll Experience
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10-Week Executive Leadership Cohort
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75 Hours of Professional Learning
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Executive Instruction
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Leadership Coaching
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Collaborative Learning Community
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Equity Audits
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Case Studies
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Policy Simulations
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Community Partnership Planning
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Transition Services Planning
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Capstone Development
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Hybrid Learning Model
Capstone Leadership Project
Unlike most leadership programs, participants leave with more than a certificate.
Each participant develops an Equity Leadership Capstone Project designed to address a real challenge within their school, organization, district, or community.
Sample Capstone Projects
• Increasing transition readiness for students with disabilities
• Strengthening family engagement systems
• Reducing opportunity gaps through data-informed interventions
• Expanding workforce readiness pathways
• Improving access to inclusive instruction
• Building stronger community partnerships
Participants graduate with a practical initiative ready for implementation.
Return on Investment
Participants leave with:
✓ A completed Equity Leadership Capstone Project
✓ A professional portfolio of leadership artifacts
✓ A measurable implementation plan
✓ Executive leadership credentials
✓ Up to 5 MSDE CPD Units
✓ Strategies immediately applicable to professional practice
✓ A scalable leadership framework
✓ Increased confidence leading change
Bring This Program to Your Organization
Organizations may enroll teams of educators, administrators, nonprofit professionals, workforce development leaders, or community change agents.
Custom cohorts and organizational partnerships are available.
Contact us to discuss team enrollment opportunities.
What Participants Are Saying
“This program transformed how I lead my school community with
equity at the center. Practical. Powerful. Life-changing.”
— Dr. Latoya Williams
Educational Leader
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the program fully online?
No. The program utilizes a hybrid learning model combining synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences.
How are CPD credits awarded?
Participants earn one CPD credit per 15 verified hours completed, up to a maximum of five CPD credits.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. Participants who successfully complete all requirements receive a certificate of completion.
Is this program appropriate for nonprofit leaders?
Yes. The program was designed for educators, nonprofit professionals, workforce leaders, transition specialists, and community change agents.
What happens if I miss a session?
Recorded sessions, guided notes, coaching support, and alternative learning activities are available to support successful completion.
Leadership Is Not About Position.
It's About Possibility.
The leaders who shape the future are not those who maintain systems.
They are the leaders who transform them.
This program was created for leaders committed to expanding access, strengthening opportunity, and creating lasting impact for future generations.
Applications accepted on rolling basis!
Enrollment Closes July 10, 2026
To ensure meaningful engagement, coaching, collaboration, and participant success, cohort enrollment is intentionally limited.
Start Week: July 13, 2026
Price Structure
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Individual Leader: $1,495 / $1,900
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Small Leadership Team (5–9): Preferred per-person pricing
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Organizational Cohort (10–24): Greater per-person savings
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Enterprise Partnership (25+): Custom proposal
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