Dr. Bret D. Cormier, Associate Professor, University of Missouri Columbia (MU)-Southeast Comprehensive Doctoral Program Site Coordinator, in the Educational Leadership & Counseling Department. Dr. Cormier received his B.A. from Park University, an M.Ed. from Southwest Texas State University in Special Education, an M.Ed. from Texas State University-San Marcos in Educational Leadership and Social Justice, and an Ed.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, in the Executive Leadership Program in the Department of Educational Administration. He has presented his work at international, national, and regional conferences in education. His work has been published in the peer-reviewed journal American Secondary Education Journal. His co-authored chapter is published in the text African American Perspectives on Leadership in Schools: Building a Culture of Empowerment. His first book, The Achievement Gap: Unsolvable Problem or Bridgeable Gap? will be released in 2018.