Dr. Ashley N. Gibson is an Assistant Professor of Social-Emotional Learning and Special Education, as well as an educator, scholar, and consultant with nearly two decades of experience across K–12 and higher education. Her teaching and scholarship center culturally relevant pedagogy, social-emotional learning, intersectionality, multicultural education, teacher preparation, and inclusive learning communities. Her work is grounded in culturally responsive and restorative practices and informed by the African principles of "Ubuntu"- "I am because you are." and "Sankofa"- "It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot."
Prior to entering higher education full time, Dr. Gibson taught secondary students in Texas, including AP Seminar and AP Research. She has also served as a university instructor, doctoral advisor, curriculum writer, professional learning facilitator, and College Board-endorsed AP Research consultant.
Baylor University
Learning and Organizational Change
Ed.D.
Houston Graduate School of Theology
Theology
M.T.S.
University of Connecticut
English and Sociology
B.A.
ED 222 – Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
ED 224 – Social-Emotional Learning & Mindfulness
Dr. Gibson serves as an academic advisor and contributes to faculty development, student engagement, and community-building initiatives across campus. Her work emphasizes relationship-centered teaching, belonging, reflective practice, and culturally responsive approaches to teaching and learning.
Dr. Gibson is the founder of Interior Learning, LLC, an educational consulting organization focused on professional learning, curriculum development, culturally responsive pedagogy, and educational equity. She also serves in leadership and mentoring roles with NAME- The National Association for Multicultural Education, and supports educators nationally through professional development and AP Capstone consulting.
Her professional service has included mentoring emerging scholars and educators, facilitating faculty and teacher professional learning, and contributing to state and national conversations surrounding multicultural education and equitable teaching practice.
National Educator of the Year, National Association for Multicultural Education, 2025
Outstanding Multicultural Teaching Award, Texas Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education, 2022
Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award, Humanities Texas, 2022
Dr. Gibson has presented at state and national conferences on culturally responsive pedagogy, intersectionality, multicultural education, teacher development, student belonging, and educational equity.
Selected presentations include:
“Co-Creating the Sankofa Framework: Humanizing Research Through Reflexivity and Critical Consciousness” — American Educational Research Association, 2026
Presentations for the National Association for Multicultural Education
Professional learning and consultant sessions focused on AP Capstone, culturally responsive teaching, community building, and equity-centered pedagogy
Gibson, A. (2025). Refusing the past as a destination: Teaching toward liberatory futures. Multicultural Perspectives, 27(2), 81–84.
Gibson, A. N. (2022). From practice to posture: Core practices for showing up authentically in DEIB work. In A. El-Amin (Ed.), Implementing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging management in organizational change initiatives (pp. 65–80). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
Gibson, A. (2022). Bridging the cultural divide: Learning with Kayla. Journal of Multicultural Affairs, 7(3), Article 7.
Gibson, A. N., & Blevins, B. (2021). On calling in and becoming: Our microaggression story. Journal of Multicultural Affairs, 6(1), Article 1.
Gibson, A. N. (2021). Becoming an intersectional educator: A developmental spiral of critical consciousness. In L. Wellner & K. Pierce-Friedman (Eds.), Supporting early career teachers with research-based practices (pp. 214–231). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.