De'Ja Wood is a Education Policy and Leadership Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, where she expects to complete her degree in May 2027. She is a mixed methods researcher who uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how Black educators, families, and communities navigate education policy and institutional systems to reduce Black students' exposure to anti-Black racial harm. Her research explores how stakeholders respond to complex policy environments—such as school discipline, school choice, and other educational reforms—and the strategies they employ to create more equitable educational opportunities for Black youth.

Her scholarship has been accepted for publication in Educational Researcher, with additional manuscripts under review. The promise of her research has been recognized through competitive national awards, including the 2025 AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship and the 2026 AERA–NSF Dissertation Grant. Through her research, she seeks to advance scholarship on Black education while producing evidence that informs education policy and practice in ways that center the experiences, expertise, and agency of Black communities.

Wood received a Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies, with Highest Distinction in the Major, from Duke University in 2021, where she also earned a minor in Education and a Certificate in Human Rights. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she served as a college advisor in Atlanta Public Schools.