Kimberly Poole-Sykes

With over 25 years of service in higher education, Kimberly Poole-Sykes has dedicated her career to preparing the next generation of educators, counselors, and leaders through a lens that centers mental health across the lifespan, social-emotional learning, and equity and inclusion. Her work emphasizes the critical importance of understanding how mental health impacts individuals from early childhood through adulthood, shaping not only academic and career outcomes but also personal well-being and community resilience.

Poole-Sykes champions the integration of social-emotional learning across curricula, equipping future professionals with the tools to support emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and self-awareness in diverse learning environments. She is equally committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering culturally responsive practices that affirm the identities and experiences of all learners.

She provides leadership within the Department of Education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The dynamic department houses three key programs: teacher education, counselor education, and educational leadership.