Monique Datta has taught in USC Rossier’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership programs since 2013. She teaches a range of courses on leadership, including “Leadership as a Critical Practice,” “Leading for Instructional Excellence and Equity,” and Organizational Change and Communication Practices.” She also serves as a dissertation chair in both programs.
Datta began her teaching career as a secondary teacher, teaching in classrooms in California, South Carolina and Hawai‘i. After earning her doctorate in education from USC Rossier, she then went on to serve as the State Office Resource Teacher for English Language Arts in Hawai‘i. In this role, she worked on teacher professional development programs and state adoption and implementation of the Common Core Standards.
In this interview, she Datta shares how her early years in the classroom influenced her approach to educational leadership, the USC Rossier faculty who have served as lifelong mentors and how her experience living in Hawai‘i has shaped her perspectives on effective leadership.
Were you born and raised in Hawai‘i, or did you come to call the Aloha State home later in life?
I was born and raised in Pasadena, California, and came to call Hawai‘i home later in life. Living and working here has shaped me personally and professionally, especially my understanding of community, relationships, the environment, and cultural responsiveness.
You started your career in education as a classroom teacher. Can you tell us about some of those early experiences and how they have impacted your approach to the field?
I began as a secondary teacher in California, South Carolina, and Hawai‘i. Working with diverse students taught me that effective teaching begins with understanding students, building relationships, and recognizing the strengths and experiences they bring to the classroom.
Those lessons still ground my work with doctoral students and organizational change. I remain focused on how decisions affect people and strive to keep my instruction human-centered.
You earned your doctorate in Educational Leadership from USC Rossier in 2010. What were you hoping to achieve through the program?
I entered the Educational Leadership program to expand my influence beyond the classroom and deepen my understanding of leadership, equity, policy, organizational change and systems that support educators and students.
The program connected research and theory to educators’ practical challenges. It also taught me that education’s “wicked problems” require thoughtful resolutions that evolve with society, technology, and our understanding of humanity. Returning to USC Rossier as a faculty member has made the experience even more meaningful—a dream come true.
Looking back, were there any professors who were particularly influential in your trajectory?
Dr. Larry Picus and my dissertation chair, Dr. Melora Sundt, were especially influential. Dr. Picus deepened my systems perspective on educational leadership, while Dr. Sundt challenged and supported me through the dissertation. Their mentorship continues to shape how I teach and mentor doctoral students.
You have now taught at USC Rossier in the EDL and OCL programs for nearly 14 years. What has been the most rewarding part of your career?
The most rewarding part has been helping experienced professionals become more thoughtful, confident, and critically reflective leaders. It is fulfilling to see students strengthen their ideas, complete their dissertations, earn their doctorates, and create meaningful and equitable change in their organizations and communities.
Chairing dissertations is especially meaningful because the process requires persistence, vulnerability, and growth. Watching students cross the finish line—and later seeing their impact—is a privilege. As I tell them, a PhD is to study the world, whereas an EdD is to change it.
Do you think people in Hawai‘i approach leadership differently? If they do, how so?
Leadership in Hawai‘i is deeply relational. Trust comes not from a title, but through consistency, humility, listening, and commitment to the community. Effective leaders understand people and place and recognize that relationships make meaningful work possible.
There is also a strong sense of collective responsibility. Values such as aloha, mālama, and kuleana call leaders to care for what is entrusted to them and remain accountable to others. No approach represents everyone, but leaders here often recognize that how results are achieved matters as much as the results themselves.
On a similar note, how do you think the educational landscape in Hawai‘i different?
Hawai‘i’s geography, cultural diversity, and statewide public school system create a distinctive educational landscape. Each island community has its own history, strengths, and needs, so leaders must understand the local context rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Schools serve students from varied cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, requiring close attention to equity, access, representation, and culturally responsive practice. As AI transforms education and work, leaders should use it in ways that strengthen learning, relationships, equity, and human connection.
How do you think your experience living in Hawai‘i has impacted your own perspectives on education and leadership?
Living in Hawai‘i has taught me that education and leadership are rooted in relationships, culture, humanity, and the environment. Leaders must listen, understand local history, build trust, and respect the knowledge already within a community.
I describe today’s leadership environment as a “vortex” of social, technological, and environmental change. Leaders may not find perfect solutions to wicked problems, but they can bring people together to develop responsible, humane responses that evolve as conditions change.
Hawai‘i has strengthened my belief that leadership is a responsibility, not simply a position. It requires humility, care, and awareness of how decisions affect people, communities, and the environment. I encourage students to build change with people, keeping humanity at the center.
Join Professor Datta, Dean Pedro Noguera, USC Rossier alumni, students and select faculty on October 10, 2026, for a special reception in Honolulu! RSVP here.
