Books by Dr. Patricia Virella

Bridging Research and Real-World Leadership

Crisis as Catalyst

Equity-Oriented School Leadership During Difficult Times

Harvard Education Press, 2025

A flexible framework that enables school leaders to proactively set up systems and structures that will support equitable responsiveness during crises.

Leveraging Crisis for Equitable School Improvement

Leadership Strategies from the Field

Leveraging Crisis for Equitable School Improvement: Leadership Strategies from the Field is a must-read for school leaders seeking to navigate crises effectively while prioritizing equity. The book draws on real-world examples and extensive research to explore how school leaders can leverage crises to bring about equitable school improvement. It provides practical guidance on crisis leadership, from assessing the crisis to delivering resources and connecting with the community.

Preparing To Lead

Narratives of Aspiring School Leaders in a "Post"-COVID World (Contemporary Perspectives on Access, Equity, and Achievement)

By Patricia M. Virella , Nathan Tanner, Darin A. Thompson

Preparing to Lead – Narratives of Aspiring School Leaders in a “Post”-COVID World focuses on how graduate students in educational leadership preparation programs are experiencing their simultaneous preparation for leadership roles in the K-12 setting while working in schools in several districts across the United States.

Journey to (Ph.)inesheD.:

The Core 4 Strategies to Develop A Successful Academic Writing Routine and (Ph)inish Your Doctorate!

In Journey to (Ph.)inesheD.: The Core 4 Strategies to Develop A Successful Academic Writing Routine and (Ph)inish Your Doctorate! you’re going to learn the skills necessary to establish an effective writing process that will serve you toward the end of your doctoral journey in order to successfully write and complete your dissertation. This way, you’ll be finished.

Forthcoming Books

Handbook of Crisis Leadership and Management in Education

Bloomsbury Academic (in progress)

TELAP: Bridging the Gaps

Cambridge Elements (in progress)

The Hopeful Leader

Bloomsbury Academic (in progress)

Selected Journal Articles & Book Chapters

My work appears in leading educational leadership and policy journals, examining topics from equity traps in anti-racist leadership to the continuum of hope expressions during crisis.
Enacting and Sustaining Resilience in School Leadership: Lessons From New Jersey Principals During Overlapping Crises
Tell Me About Your Trauma: An Empathetic Approach-Based Protocol for Interviewing School Leaders Who Have Experienced a Crisis
Cultivating Critical Hope While Leading during Crisis: A Qualitative Cross-Comparative Analysis
A Continuum of Expressions of Hope and the Influence on Leadership Through Times of Crisis
Introducing the Pillars of Equity-Oriented Crisis Leadership: A Conceptual Framework
Chapter 6: “But How Will This Improve Outcomes?” Tensions and Lessons of Improvement During a Racial Equity Transformation at Copley Public Schools