Press Room
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Press Room ~
Features, publications, and media highlights from In the Room Consulting
About Paola Deliz Félix Encarnación
Paola Deliz Félix Encarnación is the founder of In the Room Consulting, a collaborative consulting practice working at the intersection of equity, strategy, and organizational transformation. With over 14 years of experience working alongside communities of most need, Paola brings a deep commitment to inclusive, people-centered change — grounded in the belief that the wisdom is already in the room.
She is available for speaking engagements, panel discussions, podcast interviews, and media commentary on topics including equity-centered leadership, community engagement, school improvement, and organizational change.
For press inquiries, contact: paoladeliz@intheroomco.com
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
6 Principles to Foster Voice and Belonging
The Learning Professional — Learning Forward | April 2023
What does it take to make educators feel like they truly belong — not just participants, but co-creators of the work? In this piece published by Learning Forward, Paola joined colleagues from City Year to explore six principles that foster voice and belonging in school improvement networks: co-authored content, space for reflection, timely information, quick feedback loops, surprise and delight, and direct lines of communication.
When educators feel trusted, respected, and valued, they replicate those same conditions for students. This work reflects the core belief that drives everything In the Room Consulting does: the wisdom is already in the room. Our job is to create the conditions for it to emerge.
UWM Grad Finds Calling as City Year Mentor
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, this piece highlights Paola's journey from UW-Milwaukee student to City Year mentor — and the moment she discovered that her calling was rooted in community, equity, and showing up for young people. The article traces how her experience at UWM shaped her path into education and community work, and why mentorship became the foundation of everything that followed.
The Best of Us Podcast — Using Continuous Improvement Science in Schools
KickUp | Season 2, Episode 13
In this episode of KickUp's The Best of Us podcast, Paola joins the host to discuss how continuous improvement science can transform school culture — and why the process works best when educators are treated as the experts they are. She walks through City Year's school improvement network model, sharing how teams identify root causes of student challenges, design iterative change cycles, and build the conditions for voice and belonging along the way.
The conversation covers co-creating curriculum with educators, why intentional reflection is essential for sustained progress, and how small, people-centered gestures can shift an entire school community's sense of belonging.
Graduate of the Last Decade — UWM Alumni Association Award
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 2015
Paola was named a 2015 Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) by the UW-Milwaukee Alumni Association — one of more than 20 individuals honored at the annual Awards Evening for outstanding professional achievement, civic involvement, and partnership with the university. At the time of the award, Paola was recognized for affecting the lives of local youths through City Year, helping at-risk and under-represented students obtain their high school degrees, while also serving as a board member of the UWM Latino Alumni Chapter.
The official UWM announcement and an in-depth interview feature are both linked below.
Read the official UWM announcement →Read the UWM Post interview →
CONTENT EXPERTISE & ADVISORY
Content Expert & Advisor — CI4E Hub Redesign
MAEC (Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium) | Continuous Improvement for Equity (CI4E)
Paola was selected as one of a small group of nationally recognized experts in continuous improvement, equity, and education to advise the MAEC team on the evaluation and redesign of the CI4E Hub — a premier national resource supporting educators and organizations working at the intersection of continuous improvement science and equity. Drawing on her deep practitioner experience, she provided strategic guidance to shape a redesigned hub that better serves communities working to dismantle systemic barriers and improve outcomes for students.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Improvement Doesn't Happen By Accident
National Summit on Improvement in Education | Spring 2025 · San Diego, CA
Paola presented at the National Summit on Improvement in Education — one of the leading convenings for educators and leaders working at the forefront of continuous improvement science. Her session, Improvement Doesn't Happen By Accident, explored the intentional structures, relationships, and practices that make school improvement work stick. She was joined by co-presenters E Her Vang, Mary Halling, and Maribeth Kinnick, bringing multiple perspectives to the question of what it truly takes to build a culture of improvement.