Founding Executive Director & School Leader
Lalah S. Radney is an equity-driven educator and leader dedicated to transforming lives through education. A proud Harlem, New York native, she is the Founding Executive Director of Rooted School Columbia, where she brings over a decade of experience advancing student success, economic mobility, and community empowerment across both K–16 and higher education sectors.

Lalah’s career began in higher education at Seton Hall University, where she discovered her passion for connecting access, opportunity, and impact for first-generation college students. Before stepping into her role with Rooted, she served as Executive Director of Special Populations at Louisiana State University, leading initiatives that achieved a 97.2% retention rate for high-need students and scaling the university programs by over 350%. Prior to LSU, she directed the K–16 College Readiness division at Harlem Children’s Zone, managing a multimillion-dollar portfolio that provided over $200 million in scholarships and increased college matriculation rates by 10%.

Lalah holds two master’s degrees, in School Counseling and Strategic Communication, and is widely recognized for her student-centered leadership, data-driven approach, and deep commitment to closing opportunity gaps. Her life’s mission is clear: to end intergenerational poverty through education by increasing economic mobility, helping students change their socioeconomic status, and preparing them to become sustainable, self-sufficient adults. 

Vision Statement: Education is the bridge between potential and prosperity. My mission is to end intergenerational poverty by creating pathways that help students change their story, one degree, one career, and one generation at a time.