Aquabah Gonney

Aquabah Gonney-Buckner has dedicated her 18-year career to teaching and leading in urban schools. As a former turnaround school principal in Chicago Public Schools, Aquabah transformed her school from Level 2 (intense support) to Level 1 (good standing) by emphasizing social and emotional learning, personalized learning, and culturally responsive practices. The Chicago Public Education Fund's Principal Response to the Pandemic Report and Former U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan’s book, How Schools Work, have both featured her work as a turnaround school principal.

In 2023, Aquabah founded Lead With Leaders LLC to provide coaching, consulting, and professional development to principals and district leaders. She leverages her experience as a former school leader to help leaders across the country navigate leadership challenges. In 2024, The Black Principals Network recognized her service as Program Director for The Leadership Collaborative 2024 with two leadership awards.

Aquabah Gonney is a proud wife, mother, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and HBCU alumni of Delaware State University. She is the co-owner of ASA Books, a self-publishing children's book company and the recipient of “Illustrator of the Year” at the Black Child Bookfair in 2023. She serves as the Director of Programming for the International Coaching Federation, Chicago chapter. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership with a Superintendent endorsement at National Louis University. Her dissertation focuses on developing a guide for school leaders, which incorporates culturally responsive leadership and social and emotional learning to dismantle systemically racist and oppressive school practices.