“Her message went straight to the heart.”

-Faculty, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

I keynote for schools, organizations, and communities on one throughline:

the shift from needy to needed… that our humanity, not our performance, is what the world actually needs from us.

I'm the founder of Ejoka Education, a nonprofit partnering with Karamojong communities in Uganda putting my research into action to support improved livelihoods of the some of the most marginalized people today. I believe that all research should be accessible, and I’m dedicated to sharing what I’ve learned with you.

Watch Jacqueline Speak

What People Are Saying

“Jacqueline Gallo's presentation was an inspiring reminder of what it means to be a Sacred Heart educator. She brought real-life examples of how the impact made in the classroom by who you are goes far beyond academics, shaping the girls we teach. Her reflections reinforced our mission of forming the hearts and minds of our students.”
— Lyana Azan, Dean of Teaching and Learning | Upper School English, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

Dr. Gallo shared her expertise with a group of fifty 7th- and 8th-grade students and captivated them from start to finish. She made anthropology and the study of culture relevant and meaningful, helping students understand how culture shapes our lives and our world. Through engaging artifacts and thoughtful questions, she encouraged students to share their voices, explore ideas, and think more deeply.

Our students were truly inspired by their experience with Dr. Gallo. Several discovered a new passion for anthropology that has even influenced their educational goals for the future. We are grateful for the curiosity, enthusiasm, and perspective she brought to our students.
— Lauren Gutierrez, Middle School Principal, New Mexico International School

“Dr. Gallo engaged our students making them comfortable to learn about a part of the world they’d never encountered before. Dr. Gallo created an interactive, hands-on experience that fit our IB Middle Years Programme and understood how to create a safe, fun learning environment where students were able to practice the traits of the IB Learner Profile. Dr. Gallo’s student workshop inspired students to continue their own learning on the topic where she planted a seed.”
— Ms. Nomi, Middle Years IB Educator, New Mexico International School

“It was a very inspirational way to start the day! The keynote was so authentic and genuine; she made her hard work sound easy. Her message went straight to the heart. Loved how it was personal, related to our mission, and even incorporated our theme for the year.”
— Educator, Network of Sacred Heart Schools

About Jacqueline

Jacqueline Gallo, PhD, is an anthropologist of education whose research examines how institutions actually live out what they claim to stand for and how education can create capabilities for a fulfilling life of dignity.

She earned her PhD at the University of Cambridge after nearly two years of embedded fieldwork inside a girls' boarding school in Karamoja, Uganda, has presented her work across four continents and served as a Visiting Scholar in Nigeria.

In 2026, Jacqueline founded Ejoka Education, a nonprofit partnering with Karamojong communities to turn girls' education into real, independent lives, on Karamojong terms. Before turning full-time to research and speaking, she spent twenty years as a teacher, administrator, and Head of School across public, charter, independent, and international schools.