About Us
I.D.E.A. Education Consulting specializes in strategic leadership development, school design and turnaround restructuring. We partner with individual schools, districts, national networks, non-profits and small businesses in order to accelerate performance by developing the skillset of promising novice leaders.
By using our I.D.E.A approach, we support our clients and their teams in creating replicable systems and structures to drive results. We leverage our client’s current strengths and through a carefully crafted process, we help them unlock their full potential as dynamic, inspiring, world-changing leaders.
Ultimately, we are driven by and focused on excellence – we believe that equipped and empowered leaders will be the catalyst to improve the academic, social and character outcomes for students across our country and beyond.
Inspire
In order to spark excellence, inspiration must exist.
At the beginning of our consulting relationship, we’ll thoroughly discuss your professional leadership goals and the goals of your organization. Afterwards, we’ll align on a shared vision of excellence, be inspired by exemplars and collectively craft a clear pathway on how to achieve our set goals.
Develop
In order to attain excellence, one must be developed.
After crafting clear inspiring goals, we’ll spend time developing you/your organization around the specific skills, mindsets, actions and habits that you’ll need in order to be successful. When you choose to partner with us, you’ll receive our full wrap-around support. We engage with our clients in collaborative planning, meaningful practice, intentional leadership exercises, confidential problem-solving and offer a veritable cornucopia of educational resources and templates for our clients to use. By developing the skill of our clients, we are developing your capacity as a leader.
Empower
You have the inspiration, you’ve developed your skills, now be empowered to lead.
Throughout your personal leadership journey or your organization’s journey, you’ll inevitably face unexpected challenges. At I.D.E.A. Education Consulting, we’re here to help you navigate through ambiguity and change management. We keep your eyes focused on your goals, remind you of the skills and strengths you’ve already developed and empower you to use them in times of uncertainty.
Achieve
Achieve Excellence.
Our ultimate goal is to help you achieve your vision of excellence. We never lose focus on our purpose – to inspire, develop and empower you. When all three of these elements happen at the highest level, it is the perfect formula for success.
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Herneshia Dukes
Founder
Herneshia is the founder and lead coach at I.D.E.A. Education Consulting, where she provides coaching, training and development for districts, charter networks, education programs and school leaders across the country.
Herneshia previously served as the Executive Director of School Leadership for New Schools for New Orleans. Her primary responsibility was to develop and oversee the E3 Fellowship, a program focused on creating leadership pipelines for aspiring chief-level executives for charter organizations across the city of New Orleans.
Herneshia also served as the principal of a charter school in New Orleans. In her first year as school leader of a turnaround campus, the school improved 23 SPS points and improved a full state letter grade, making it one of the top growing schools in the region. Under her leadership, the school received a letter grade of an “A” for growth four years in a row and was publicly recognized by Orleans Parish School Board and the state of Louisiana in 2018-2019 for their performance. In 2018, her school ranked in the top quartile in the nation for the quality and execution of professional development. In addition to school leadership, Herneshia also oversaw school operations and led the rebranding initiative for her campus.
In addition to school leadership, Herneshia has worked extensively with the KIPP Foundation, training and developing current and aspiring school leaders from across the country. She is a frequent guest speaker on the topic of education reform and school leadership and most recently delivered a TED talk on reimagining schools. Herneshia specializes in leadership development, school/network turnarounds, school design, school climate, staff and student culture, and branding.
Cornelius Dukes
Founder
Cornelius Dukes is an education leader, executive coach, and systems builder committed to improving outcomes for students and communities furthest from opportunity. With experience as a turnaround school leader and founding principal, Cornelius has led transformative work across diverse school contexts, including district and charter environments. As a K–8 charter school leader in South Florida, he drove a 40% increase in student proficiency in one year through clear instructional focus, strong culture systems, and intentional leader development.
In New Orleans, Cornelius played a founding role in establishing the city’s first therapeutic day high school designed to support students with emotional trauma and behavior exceptionalities. In this work, he designed and led a program centered on restorative practices, socioemotional learning, and individualized academic supports, creating an intimate and nurturing environment where students could reengage with school and thrive. Earlier in his career, Cornelius implemented schoolwide restorative practices and culture systems that reduced student suspensions by over 80% within one year while improving academic outcomes. This work received local and national recognition and led to his participation in panels, articles, and podcasts focused on restorative justice and inclusive school culture.
Across roles, Cornelius has built a reputation for his ability to develop leaders, strengthen adult practice, and build authentic relationships with students, families, and community partners. His leadership approach blends clarity, accountability, and empathy, with a strong emphasis on equity-centered systems that support students with disabilities, students navigating trauma, and those historically underserved by schools. Cornelius specializes in leadership coaching, restorative practices, character education, and proactive culture development.