Kayren grew up in southeast Texas. She was raised by a single mother and grew up with her four sisters. Growing up in an environment where no one looked like her shaped her workshop topics and themes. Struggling to define her self-worth, Kayren persevered through challenges and overcame social inequities along her path to success. She entered education to champion for students who often felt like her – silenced, marginalized, ignored, or assumed. She brings experience as a public school Teacher, Coordinator of Student Activities, Assistant Principal, and now DE&I advocate.

Kayren earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Texas A&M Central Texas and Master’s Degree from Lamar University in Educational Administration with Principal Certification. Entering public education nearly a decade ago, her focus was to share her own passion for learning with others and ultimately, impact the lives of students who felt that history—or school for that matter—was not for them. She soon realized and began to understand how important it is for students of color to see success in people who look like them. By building meaningful relationships and making learning culturally-relevant, Mrs. Gray vowed to equip students with not just content, but skills they can utilize beyond school and in the real world. In 2014, she was recognized as Ellison High School’s Teacher of the Year and Killeen ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year Finalist.

She is the author of The Road to Equity: The Five C’s to Construct an Equitable Classroom. She is also part of MK Results, LLC, a collective of nine other like-minded educators with a vision to change the narrative, empower others, and be examples of embracing diversity.