Meet Tawana

Born and raised in the Hill District and East Liberty neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Tawana Cook Purnell attended Vann, Frick, and Schenley before graduating from Peabody High School. She attended Bowdoin College in the first class to admit women before transferring to Spelman College and graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy, Cum Laude. After receiving a Klingenstein fellowship, she earned an M.A. in School Leadership from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Tawana has served as a teacher and administrator in schools that apply a variety of education models in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York, including the Campus School at Carlow University, Montgomery County Public Schools, the National Cathedral School for Girls, and the Environmental Charter School. She has also served on several boards and education-related organizations throughout her career, including the Green Building Alliance, the Excellence in Education Program, the Arts and Technology Academy, the Bishop Walker School for Boys, and the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association.

Now formally retired, Tawana continues to mentor students through volunteer work and partnerships with Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association, Woodland Hills School District, and Sto-Rox School District. She is the proud parent of three children, grandmother to two children, and currently resides in East Liberty.

Tawana is running for School Board Director in District 1 to utilize her expertise as a career educator to address the challenges PPS faces. She is committed to making bold, thoughtful decisions that will support student success, enhance staff satisfaction, increase family engagement, and build community collaborations.