Mary Jo Fairhead

Mary Jo Fairhead is a dedicated educator, visionary leader, and proud member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, she has devoted her career to reimagining education and expanding opportunity where it is most urgently needed. Certified by the State of South Dakota as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, Mary Jo brings over 14 years of experience in education. She began her career as a high school teacher and, after three years, returned home to the Pine Ridge Reservation to serve as a middle school teacher and educator within the Oglala Lakota College education department. Her leadership journey eventually led her to the role of K–8 principal. Across three school districts, Mary Jo consistently witnessed the systemic barriers facing students and educators alike, overcrowded classrooms, excessive standardized testing, rigid leadership structures, limited creative opportunities, and widespread disengagement. These challenges were compounded by the realities of poverty, addiction, and youth suicide within her community, issues that could not be solved by test scores alone. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mary Jo made the bold decision to chart a new course. In the fall of 2022, she founded Onward Learning, an independent, community-centered school grounded in student well-being, cultural relevance, and personalized learning. What began with just 12 students has grown to 40 students with a growing waitlist, clear evidence of the community’s hunger for a more human-centered approach to education on the reservation. In recognition of her leadership and perspective, Mary Jo was appointed to the Education Commission of the States, where she serves as the only South Dakota commissioner outside of the public education system.