Title: THE WORK: EXAMINING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF CT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DEI DIRECTORS

Abbreviated Abstract: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practitioners play a critical role in advancing equity within independent schools, yet research examining their lived experiences remains limited—particularly within K–12 independent day school contexts. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring the lived experiences of DEI directors in Connecticut independent schools, centering how they navigate complex, often ambiguous roles within institutions historically shaped by privilege.