Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nancy Dome. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Nancy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a story that illustrates an important or relevant lesson you learned in school
My second grade teacher, Ms. Peoples, was no-nonsense in her approach to life and teaching, and she was also no-nonsense in her approach to love. She grew up in the same era as my grandmother, which was apparent in her style: there was no coddling, no hand-holding. It was a fierce love. It was a love predicated on showing up and telling the truth.
As I grew older, Ms. Peoples became a confidant. In junior high and even high school, my twin sister Dora and I would go back to the elementary school to visit her, wanting to show her our accomplishments. She had high expectations for both of us, always. By the time we were close to graduating high school, our grandmother had been disabled for at least six years. Our brothers were moving in and out of the house based on their situations, and our mom was not around. We didn’t have anyone to help us navigate college visits or to even discuss the idea of college. We were going where the money was, simple as that. And Ms. Peoples told us the truth then, just like she’d done when we were in second grade.
“You can do this. You’re smart,” she’d said. “You need to go.”
Ms. Peoples was the second Black teacher we ever had. The first was Ms. Kent, our preschool teacher, who told our mother that we were the smartest kids she’d ever taught. Without these teachers in my elementary years, we might not have recognized our own capabilities or felt emotionally prepared for what was to come. It’s not that we had teachers trying to actively hold us back, but the idea that we could be anything we wanted to be? That we had that in us somewhere? And not only that, but that there were role models watching who expected great things? They did that, and it was game-changing.
It didn’t stop there. In fifth grade, I had Ms. Daschoff, a white Jewish woman who was the only other teacher in that school who ever held me accountable, who pushed me, who helped me see beyond my current circumstances, who mirrored Ms. Kent’s and Ms. Peoples’ high expectations. I’d see other students doing things they shouldn’t be doing, and there was Ms. Daschoff, putting her foot down.
“Don’t fall into that nonsense,” she’d say. “You have more potential than that.”
I’m fortunate to have so many other examples of educators who lifted me up throughout my youth, giving their time, energy, and support. These educators have been so transformational to me that, as I work on my third book that centers on the origins of this important work that I do today, I’m including stories of their immeasurable impact. These early conversations not only helped form my sense of self-worth but also served as examples of the power of strong women who don’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations.
I believe that’s a big part of why I am the way I am today: not afraid of healthy conflict, moving past this idea that we’re all supposed to be in competition with each other, and ever in awe of the beauty of communities coming together to raise and empower their children.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I co-founded Epoch Education in 2014 to provide leaders in education and business with accessible professional development for having compassionate conversations, navigating conflict in a healthy way, and creating environments that center belonging.
Since early in my career, I have had a strong desire to support those students most at risk. Realizing the education track would allow me greater flexibility and reach than the social services track, I re-educated to become a teacher and spent 10 years working in multiple capacities, ranging from classroom teacher, Mentor Teacher, and Teacher on Special Assignment in the Juvenile Court and Community Schools in San Diego. Roles, which allowed me to train and support teachers in becoming more culturally competent educators for the diverse population they served.
My passion for education prompted me to obtain my doctorate in 2004, which allowed me to secure a tenure track faculty position at CSUSM in the College of Education. There, I spent 7 years working with future teachers to build their capacity in the classroom with a social justice focus, building their awareness around the necessity of being culturally competent. During that time, I coordinated a College of Education program that sought to identify racially under-represented undergraduates and support them in becoming teachers to help diversify the workforce.
In 2008, I accepted a position with Pacific Educational Group as the Director of Online Programming, where I developed online professional development opportunities for individual teachers and school districts. Realizing that online would provide a greater reach, I provided hundreds of educators with an interactive and transformative curriculum that challenged and inspired them to work as advocates for their underrepresented student populations.
Today I continue this important work as Co-Founder/CEO of Epoch Education, whose primary charge is to provide current, accessible, and transforming Professional Development that helps school districts and educational agencies throughout the country navigate complex topics, build bridges, and work together for inclusive, impactful change. I also work with businesses providing inspirational keynotes, individual and small group coaching sessions, and trainings on effective communication through Compassionate Dialogue throughout the US and in the UK.
In addition, I am the author of the bestselling book Let’s Talk About Race and Other Hard Things: A Framework for Having Conversations That Build Bridges, Strengthen Relationships, and Set Clear Boundaries that laid the foundation of Compassionate Dialogue as a mainstream strategy to support the development of strong workplace climates and cultures. In 2024, I published The Compassionate Dialogue Journey: A Workbook for Growth and Self-Discovery, that provides a pathway for internal exploration by guiding readers through prompts and exercises designed to deepen their Compassionate Dialogue practice as a form of self-care.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Ultimately, my company helps people communicate in ways that are more honest and healthy. We practice that internally, too. Not only do we teach Compassionate Dialogue and The RIR Protocol (Recognize It, Interrupt It, Repair It), but we practice it. We are committed to a practice of self-regulation and honest dialogue in service of creating compassionate accountability and progress for our team.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
A commitment to quality and actionable strategies. Bridging the theoretical with the practical is big in this space. People want tools, and we give them tools!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://epocheducation.com/ and https://drnancydome.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epocheducation/ and https://www.instagram.com/drnancydome/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochEducation/ and https://www.facebook.com/DrNancyDome
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/epoch-education-inc/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancydome/
- Twitter: https://x.com/epocheducation/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Epocheducation4Equity and https://www.youtube.com/@dr.nancydome4538/featured?app=desktop