A first-generation college graduate from a low-income family, Grace McKenzie, MSW, has focused her career on supporting systems that work for all families and students. Her own experiences as a student in TRIO programs and her service year through AmeriCorps informed her understanding of the challenges in the education system and ignited a desire to be part of the change. In her role as Family Friendly Schools Director with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence she collaborates to build partnerships to support student success. A questioner and explorer, she enjoys gathering research, data, and stories to make a more complete story of the ways families support students and the ways that schools and school staff can effectively partner with families to support students.