Doannie Tran

By: Jennifer Poon and Doannie Tran What do you picture when you hear “stakeholder engagement?” A warm scene of solidarity and shared purpose, or a cold image of lip service and performative posturing? Too often, we’ve seen education leaders invite feedback from stakeholders in superficial ways that lead to the latter impression.

We are surrounded by intermediaries. Banks manage the exchange between people and capital. Trainers connect individuals to their fitness goals. Real estate agents guide home buying through the complexity of markets and contracts. In every sector, intermediaries build bridges between systems and people, translating complexity into access and opportunity. In education, the same dynamic holds true, though we often underestimate its power.