Faculty Directory

Ronett Jacobs is an associate professor of Education at Alverno College, where she has taught since 2018. She also serves as the director of the Thea Bowman Institute for Excellence and Leadership, a full-tuition scholarship program for undergraduate students with a strong desire to serve as leaders.

Jacobs has dedicated her life’s work to improving lives through education. For more than 25 years, she has focused on innovative student-centered practices, designing creative learning environments, coaching teachers, and supporting student success. She has been actively involved in strengthening family engagement efforts, collaborating with various organizations and schools to create meaningful partnerships between educators and families. Her work emphasizes the importance of communication, relationship-building, and shared leadership in creating positive educational experiences.

A passionate advocate for coaching, Jacobs has worked extensively to develop and implement coaching models that empower educators and educational leaders. She believes that coaching is a catalyst for professional growth, enabling teachers, administrators, and school staff to reflect, refine, and enhance their instructional practices. She consults with Coaching for Success, a program designed in partnership with Rogers Behavioral Health, Milwaukee College Prep, Boys and Girls Club, and Milwaukee Public Schools, to strengthen the skills of professionals who serve as transformational coaches. Her work in coaching extends to professional development initiatives that equip educators with the tools to build strong, student-centered learning environments.

Prior to coming to Alverno, she spent 17 years working as a classroom teacher and an instructional coach. She spent more than a decade as a classroom teacher with Franklin Public Schools, where she was named Teacher of the Year by the Walton Corporation and received the Distinguished Teacher Service Award from the Franklin Education Foundation. She also served as Children's Ministry Coordinator at Faith Christian Fellowship and Eastbrook Church and as a Title I Instructional Coach for the Wauwatosa School District.

Jacobs earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Alverno College, her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wis., and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Alverno College. She directs Leaders Advancing Culture and Climate in Schools (LACCS), which supports character development in schools. She also serves on the Board of Directors for PEARLS for Teen Girls, an organization dedicated to empowering young women through leadership development, academic support, and personal growth. Additionally, she has served as a School Board member at Eastbrook Academy and as a keynote speaker for leadership and professional development conferences.