Tsitsi Sithole

Tsitsi Sithole is an Early Childhood Specialist, Educator, Advocate and Humanitarian who finds the greatest joy in the privilege of serving others. Tsitsi believes in the dignity of every human experience, the power of every human voice and the connectedness within every human story. Tsitsi views education as the definitive path towards growth, healing and transformation, the impact of which is especially significant for the uplifting and illumination of marginalized populations. Tsitsi's passion for ensuring that young children, regardless of circumstances, receive access to high-quality early learning opportunities has led to a journey of over 20 years in the field of early childhood education. Tsitsi's experience includes research on effective parenting practices at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, graduate-level instruction on race, equity and culture at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, and instructional coaching at Urban Teachers, a teacher preparation program in Washington, DC, that aims to disrupt systems of educational inequity through anti-racist practices. Tsitsi has also held instructional coaching and school leadership positions in the District of Columbia Public School system (DCPS), an urban school district that serves more than 51,000 students across 117 schools.

Currently, Tsitsi works as the Early Childhood Director at Creative Minds International Public Charter School. Located in Washington, DC, Creative Minds International embraces an inclusive, child-centered and holistic approach to education, where the individuality of children and students is respected and where preparation for citizenship in a globalized world is fostered.

Tsitsi holds an enduring devotion for her home country of Zimbabwe, and the resilience of its people. Having resolved as a teenager to open a school in Zimbabwe for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, in 2020, Tsitsi partnered with I AM Zimbabwe Trust, an organization founded to strengthen underserved communities through education, workshops, and outreach. Through this partnership, Tsitsi opened two tuition-free Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs in the communities of Mbare and Epworth, each serving 50 orphans and vulnerable children. Tsitsi also fundraised over $11,000 to feed families in these same communities at the onset of the covid pandemic. In 2021, Tsitsi facilitated a partnership between PILAglobal, an organization that provides innovative education for young children who have been impacted by poverty and displacement, and I AM Zimbabwe Trust. The result was the opening of Nest Zimbabwe, a safe and nurturing space for the youngest learners at the I AM Mbare School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, to develop and grow.

Tsitsi held the position of Director of Global Operations at PILAglobal before being appointed as interim Board Chair until January 2022. She is also a member of the Leadership Team at I AM Zimbabwe Trust, serving as the Director of Early Learning and Professional Development. Tsitsi has facilitated several professional development sessions at Early Learning Centers in the DC Metro area and has been invited to present about her volunteer work at organizations such as the DC Reggio Emilia Alliance.

Tsitsi graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from McGill University and received an Ed.M. in Risk and Prevention from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.