Alyssa Whitehead-Bust
About Alyssa
Alyssa Whitehead-Bust a co-founder and Partner at Attuned Education Partners, where she leads high-impact strategy engagements with state education agencies, school systems, and nonprofits. She supports senior leaders through executive advising, strategic planning, program design, and facilitation—particularly in moments of start-up, scale, or transition. To date, she has supported nearly 100 organizations and coached dozens of leaders to clarify vision, align structures, and improve outcomes for students. Her work helps partners navigate complexity, center equity, and sustain meaningful change. Her work is grounded in real-world results, including her leadership during a period when Denver Public Schools was recognized for achieving some of the most effective and sustained reforms in American public education. That experience shapes Attuned’s approach to school design, HQIM implementation, and system-wide transformation.
Career Summary
Earlier in her career, Alyssa served as a cabinet-level leader in Denver Public Schools (DPS), where she held roles as Chief Academic Officer and Chief of Innovation and Reform. In those positions, she led the district’s academic strategy, oversaw its school portfolio, and launched one of the nation’s first district-run innovation labs for personalized and blended learning. She was also the founding principal of Highline Academy Charter Schools and facilitated Colorado’s State Council for Educator Effectiveness in implementing Senate Bill 191.
Education, Awards & Fellowships
Alyssa holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is an alum of the Broad Academy and the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship.
My Why
Alyssa’s commitment to public education is deeply personal. As a student, teacher, and system leader, she has seen both the promise and the deep inequities in our schools. She is driven by the belief that all students, especially those furthest from opportunity, deserve rigorous, joyful learning and the systems to support it.
What Brings Me Joy
Outside of work, Alyssa finds joy in hosting gatherings and creating spaces where people feel seen and connected, whether around a dinner table, on a long hike with her husband and daughters, or over a great cup of coffee.