Zaretta Hammond is the author of ­Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: ­Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among ­Culturally and Linguistically Diverse ­Students (Corwin, 2014), an influential book that explores the cognitive foundations of culturally responsive teaching. A former high school and college writing instructor, Hammond has also been a teacher-educator specializing in the foundations of literacy. She is currently a trainer and consultant working with schools on instructional design, equity, and literacy.