De'Ja Wood is an Education Policy and Leadership Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, where she expects to graduate in 2027. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, her research explores how Black communities understand, circumvent, and refuse racially assaultive schooling conditions.

Her scholarship has been accepted for publication in Educational Researcher, with additional manuscripts currently under review. 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 and expertise of Black communities and contribute to more equitable educational systems for historically marginalized communities.

De'Ja 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.

In her free time, De'Ja reads—mostly fiction!—and averages about one book per week. Her five-star read of 2026 so far is Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby. Her love of reading also led her to start a book club for Black women in her region, which has grown into a community of more than 100 women who gather for monthly curated events inspired by their books.