Dr. Felicia Singleton
Executive Director of Whole Child & Community Design,
San Diego County Office of Education
Dr. Felicia Singleton is the Executive Director of Whole Child & Community Design at the San Diego County Office of Education, where she works alongside educational leaders to design systems that center the well-being, belonging, and thriving of every child. Her work focuses on helping schools and communities move beyond programs to build child-centered ecosystems where learning, joy, safety, and connection coexist.
Her leadership is deeply influenced by a traditional Maasai greeting often exchanged between adults: “And how are the children?” In Maasai culture, the expected response is simple yet profound: “The children are well.” For Dr. Singleton, this question serves as both a greeting and a charge reminding us that the well-being of children is a shared responsibility and a measure of the well-being and sustainability of our communities.
Guided by a commitment to justice, belonging, and collective care, Dr. Singleton’s work is anchored in the principles of restorative justice practices, whole child development, and systems transformation. Her desire to remain closely connected to restorative justice practice and her deep commitment to disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline is fueled by her adjunct faculty position at the University of San Diego where she teaches restorative justice practices in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences.
Dr. Singleton holds a Doctor of Education from the University of California, San Diego. Her research explores the intersection of ecological systems theory, restorative justice practices, and collective impact, with a focus on how communities can work together to create conditions where all children and the adults who care for them authentically belong and can truly thrive.
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