Turning Vision Into Action: How Dr. Jaime Lomax Helps Us Create Opportunities for Students

Every AVID educator and leader has felt the tension between vision and reality in knowing what students need and figuring out how to make it happen consistently across classrooms, schools, and systems. 

Behind that work are leaders focused on helping educators move from intention to implementation. One of those leaders is Dr. Jaime Lomax, AVID Center’s Vice President of National Programs. 

While much of Jaime’s work happens behind the scenes, its impact reaches schools and districts across the country. She partners with Executive Directors, Implementation Strategists, and colleagues across the organization to strengthen implementation, support partner success, and keep AVID’s mission connected to measurable outcomes for students. 

At its core, Jaime’s role is about helping leaders translate strategy into action by providing the necessary tools, data, clarity, and structures to strengthen implementation, elevate partner voice, and keep students at the center of every decision. 

A Journey Rooted in Education 

Jaime first encountered AVID as an English teacher for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in North Carolina before taking on additional roles as an AVID Elective teacher, Site Coordinator, and District Coordinator for Metro Nashville Public Schools in Tennessee. In the years that followed, she served in a variety of leadership positions at AVID, including Program Manager, Partner Engagement Manager, and Associate Area Director. 

Before returning to AVID in 2025, Jaime served as Executive Director of Student Support Services for Metro Nashville Public Schools, leading districtwide efforts focused on student support, family engagement, discipline data, and social and personal competencies. 

“Those experiences give me a strong understanding of what implementation looks like from multiple seats and why support has to be practical, responsive, and aligned to the realities of the field,” Jaime says. 

Jaime has seen the challenges that educators and leaders face at every level of the system, and her experiences reinforced the beliefs that continue to guide her work today. 

A Purpose Grounded in People 

When asked why she has remained connected to AVID throughout so many chapters of her career, Jaime responds, “This work is about access, opportunity, and belief in what students can do when the adults around them are equipped and aligned.” 

That belief has guided her journey from classroom teacher to district leader to national leadership. While her work today focuses on supporting systems and leaders, the reason behind that work is still rooted in students and the opportunities that can change the course of their lives. 

One student in particular continues to shape how she thinks about AVID’s mission. 

“A moment that always reminds me why this work matters is seeing students use their voice with confidence in spaces where decisions are being made about them and their schools.” 

Jaime recalls Karla, a Dreamer student and AVID tutor whom she had the privilege of teaching and mentoring. As Karla navigated uncertainty while pursuing her goals and aspirations for the future, Jaime witnessed extraordinary courage, resilience, and determination in her. 

Watching Karla advocate for herself reinforced for Jaime that access and opportunity are not abstract concepts. Throughout her career, she has seen access and opportunity become realized when students have the support, encouragement, and systems they need to thrive. 

“Karla reminded me that when students have adults who believe in them and systems designed to support them, they can achieve far more than others may have imagined.” 

Jaime has seen that same principle hold true with the educators and leaders who shape opportunities for entire school communities. 

Early in her career, Jaime coached Jodie Kuleck and served as Jodie’s first AVID Program Manager when she was new to her role and leading implementation in a single school. Today, Jodie leads a thriving districtwide AVID system at Alexandria City Public Schools in Virginia, serving thousands of students and educators. Jodie was honored as AVID District Leader of the Year at the inaugural AVID Global Achievement Awards. 

Jaime also had the opportunity to coach Adrienne Battle during her time as an AVID assistant principal and executive principal. Dr. Battle now serves as superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools, one of AVID’s largest partner districts. 

For Jaime, their growth reinforces a lesson that she has seen throughout her career: Students are not the only ones who thrive when someone believes in them and they are supported by strong systems. Educators and leaders do, too. While her role has evolved from working directly with students to supporting leaders at a larger scale, she remains deeply connected to the power of the relationships at the heart of teaching and learning. By aiding educators and leaders in gaining clarity, confidence, and support, Jaime helps create the conditions for more students to experience the opportunities they deserve. 

“What keeps me here is the people and the purpose. Educators doing hard, relevant work, leaders trying to build stronger systems, and students whose futures are shaped when access to rigorous college and career readiness opportunities becomes more than a desire.” 

Leadership Anchored in Clarity and Care 

Today, Jaime helps AVID leaders across the country navigate one of the biggest challenges in education: turning complex work into focused action. 

She supports AVID Center’s Executive Directors and Implementation Strategists as they strengthen partnerships, guide implementation, use data to inform decisions, and ensure that AVID’s work remains aligned to the outcomes that matter most. 

In practice, that means helping leaders navigate challenges, align resources, and focus their efforts where they can have the greatest impact. It also means contributing to AVID’s long-term health and strategy by creating systems that promote consistency, accountability, and meaningful support for partners. 

“The moments that give me the most energy are helping teams move from complexity to clarity,” Jaime says. 

That focus has been a constant throughout her career. In district leadership, it meant using discipline and student support data to better align services and professional learning. At AVID, it means helping leaders see the connection between daily actions, implementation decisions, and the student outcomes they are working to achieve. By creating clearer lines of sight between strategy, support, and impact, she helps teams focus their energy where it can make the greatest difference, just as she has seen leaders like Jodie and Adrienne do throughout their own journeys. 

For Jaime, clarity creates the conditions for better decisions and stronger outcomes. “When leaders are able to focus on the highest-leverage actions, they can spend less time managing disconnected activities and more time creating meaningful outcomes for students.” 

That philosophy is reflected in a principle that guides how she leads every day: Lead with clarity and care. “People do their best work when they understand the ‘why,’ see the path, and know they are supported along the way.” 

Across her efforts in coaching leaders, facilitating strategy conversations, and helping teams work through complex challenges, Jaime’s goal is to create focus, build understanding, and help others move forward with confidence. 

Try This: Keeping What Matters Most in Focus 

“My encouragement to AVID educators and leaders is to keep focusing on what matters most,” Jaime advises. “The work can be layered, and there will always be competing priorities, but your purpose should always remain clear. When we stay grounded in students’ needs and honest about where support is needed, we create the conditions for stronger implementation and lasting impact!” 

Inspired by her advice, consider these ways to keep purpose at the center of your work: 

• Revisit your “why” when priorities compete for attention.
• Use data alongside partner and student voices to guide decisions.
• Focus on simplifying processes, so teams can concentrate on high-impact work.
• Build systems that support consistency, accountability, and collaboration.
• Keep students at the center of every conversation and decision.