Rebecca Knighton
Rebecca Knighton, PhD, is a lifelong learner with a passion for understanding our shared human needs, the barriers we face, and what motivates us. As a senior consultant for a Mountain West State Department of Education, she helps district and school leaders lead with heart while navigating complex change efforts. Her work centers on humanistic leadership, culture and climate improvement, and student-centered transformation.
Rebecca began her journey as a middle school behavioral interventionist and gifted and talented specialist, where she co-led Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and student support teams. She also developed and taught a social-emotional intervention class for sixth graders with behavioral and engagement challenges—transforming their academic paths and self-perceptions.
Her doctoral research focused on what the most effective teachers do to connect with and engage disengaged youth. Today, she helps educators develop these same skills, offering tools to flip the script and ignite hope in every learner.
Rebecca holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, a master’s in education, and a PhD in Population Studies in Health. She has presented at state, national, and international conferences. In her role at the Colorado Department of Education, she contributed to the development of state-level frameworks for student wellness and dropout prevention. She is also a working group member for Knowledge Works' Lead for Learners development project.
When she’s not working with educators, she enjoys being in nature with her husband and their Corgi, Tifa, traveling to see her son in Europe, or soaking up the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.