Speaking Engagements
On the stage
- “Executive Leadership for Sustainable Schools” Featuring the IMPACTS framework and Resource Opportunity Matrix.
- “From Mission to Momentum: Moving Forward with Sustainable Resource Strategies”
- “Creating Possibilities by Using Federal Grants to Address Mental Health Needs in Schools”
- “District Structures to Maximize, Manage, and Evaluate ESSER Funds in Service of Students” Highlighted in the March 2023 issue of LRP's Title I Admin publication.
- “Innovative Partnerships and Methods for Evaluating ESEA Program Effectiveness”
Publications
In print
- Published, paid contributing author, Great Lives in History: Latinos (Salem Press, 2012) — five biographical entries, including Juan Boza, Carmen Lomas Garza, and Francisco Oller.
- Baker, A. F. (2002). The Flanary & Co. Store: A Century of Connections Between Southern Appalachia and the Wider World. Journal of Appalachian Studies, 8, 421–430.
Litigation & Expert Testimony
In the record
Dr. Lerma has served as an expert witness in federal and state litigation involving federal education funding and grant compliance, providing case analysis, expert reports, and testimony grounded in direct programmatic and regulatory experience.
National Research & Technical Assistance
Work at the national level
Dr. Lerma has served as a team member of the Southeast Region 5 Comprehensive Center, supporting state education agencies with technical assistance grounded in expertise in federal programs, school improvement and leadership, school boards, and public school finance. She has also worked as a senior researcher and subject matter expert on additional national projects for the U.S. Department of Education.
At the Tennessee Department of Education, she spearheaded the development of a statewide online IEP monitoring platform, moving the state's IDEA monitoring process onto a single, modern system, and created a three-tier monitoring framework and risk-analysis.
Professional Leadership
Service & appointments
- Founding member and former elected Vice President, Tennessee Association of Federal Programs Administrators (TAFPA), 2020–2022
- Member, Grant Professionals Association (national and chapter level)
- U.S. Department of Education peer reviewer: Charter Schools Program, Education Innovation and Research, Full-Service Community Schools
- Elected Board Secretary, Metropolitan Area School Systems (M.A.S.S.), 2019–2022
- District Representative, Tennessee Department of Education Federal Programs Advisory Council, 2013–2020
Interested in having Dr. Lerma speak at your conference, contribute research, or serve as an expert witness on a matter involving federal education funding?Get in touch to discuss →