Daneé Pinckney began teaching in Columbus, Ohio, after graduating from The Ohio State University. There Pinckney earned a bachelor’s degree in middle childhood education. Later, she realized her passions were more suited to high school and received her Ohio English K-12 certification before earning a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology from Ashland University.

Pinckney currently teaches 11th and 12th grade English at Twinsburg High School in Twinsburg, Ohio. She constantly searches for new opportunities to challenge herself professionally and personally, as evidenced by her creating a senior-level course on African American literature. The course addressed a need for representation sought by both students and community members. She obtained grant funding to support its implementation, enriching educational experiences for all.

Using literature as the anchor, she works to encourage students’ engagement in community service and activism projects, instilling in them a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement. She believes students can change the world “right here and right now.” Believing this to be true, her students most recently collaborated with students in Ghana and led a community fundraiser, building global community and empathy.

Pinckney’s dedication to pursuing personal growth as an educator has earned her recognition as the 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year, a Master Teacher finalist by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and accolades such as the 2023 Twinsburg City Schools Teacher of the Year and a 2023 Fund for Teachers fellow.