Dr. Cleo Wadley brings over 30 years of experience in public education, serving as a teacher, principal at both the primary and secondary levels, and a central office administrator. He has also worked in higher education as an adjunct instructor, teaching freshman-level English. Currently Dr. Wadley serves as the Officer of Leadership Development for the Harris County Department of Education.

Beyond his professional roles, Dr. Wadley is deeply engaged in community service. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and serves as vice president of the board of directors for the Family Life Community Resource Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families in Fort Bend County.

Dr. Wadley earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University, where his research focused on educational leadership, the experiences of Black males in K–12 schools, and organizational leadership. His scholarship has been featured at national and regional conferences, including the Southwest Educational Research Association, the National Council of Black Studies, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Ohio Association of Black School Educators, the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

His publications include an article in Texas Study titled “‘Schooling’ the Black Male: Oppressive Hegemonic Discourses, Material Constraints, and Critical Resistance” and “Black Males: The Perennial Moral Panic in K–12 Schools” in Alpha Phi Alpha’s quarterly journal The Sphinx. He is also a contributing author to the forthcoming book Educational Leaders and Anti-Racism: Cases of Abolition in K–12 Administration.