Dr. Juanita Walker Hoskins: Lead Equity Specialist

Juanita Walker Hoskins was born and reared in the Shepherd Community of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  She attended the segregated Chickamauga Elementary School.  The year that she was to enter junior high school, the integration of schools was underway and she was assigned to attend the historically White Tyner Junior high School.  She graduated from Tyner High School in 1974 after having excelled academically and in sports.

Upon completing high school, Juanita enrolled at Tennessee State University.  She enjoyed four great years at TSU where she was challenged academically and she participated in university life.  She became a member of the Alpha Chi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  Juanita received the Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry in 1978.

Immediately upon graduating from Tennessee State University, Juanita was recruited by the H. B. Fuller Company to work as a Product Development Chemist in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She also worked for Economics Laboratory. She excelled at those job for eight years.  Because of her interest in teaching and learning, she decided to pursue fulfilling the requirements for securing a job teaching school.  In 1987, Juanita matriculated at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and earned a Master’s degree in the Art of Teaching.  She was hired to teach science in a middle school in St. Paul.

Juanita was accepted in the Doctorial program at the University of St. Thomas and was awarded a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in 1996.  She went on to be assigned Associate Principal in a middle school and in a high school and as Principal in a middle school. After a number of years in those assignment, she was promoted to a central office position to serve as Director of Educational Equity.  After serving 31 years in public education, Juanita retired in 2017.  She now enjoys traveling, volunteering and visiting grandchildren in Nashville.