Victoria Adembesa loves a good adrenaline rush. If given the chance, she’d go bungee jumping without thinking twice. But when it comes to education, her approach is anything but impulsive.

As Dignitas’ School Leadership Development Manager, Victoria spends her days working alongside teachers and school leaders, helping them strengthen their skills, build confidence, and create classrooms where every child can thrive. But her journey into education wasn’t exactly planned. In fact, she never imagined herself in this field, until one experience changed everything.

In this interview, we sat down with Victoria to talk about her unexpected path into education, the impact of her work, and the everyday moments that remind her why she does what she does. Enjoy!

1. Let’s start with something fun,  what’s a fact about you that most people don’t know?

Victoria: I love adventure, whether it’s traveling, exploring new places, or just being out in the world with people I care about. Nothing beats a day spent laughing, talking about nothing serious, and just soaking in the experience with friends and family.

Oh, and I love heights! If I ever get the chance, I’d absolutely go bungee jumping. The thrill of it, the rush,it’s something I’d really love to experience.

2. Your background isn’t in education. What led you to this field?

Victoria: I never grew up thinking I wanted to be a teacher. Honestly, I didn’t admire teaching because I had very minimal examples of great teaching.

But after campus, I found myself interacting with a group of parents whose children were in a curriculum that caught my attention. When I spent time with those kids, I was amazed. They were so expressive, respectful yet confident, and incredibly aware of the world around them. Their thinking was just different. It made me stop and wonder, if I had been exposed to what they knew at their age, how different would my journey have been?

That’s when I started to see education in a new light. Eventually, I joined an organization that led me to a school where I became a head teacher. That school was using the same curriculum that had initially intrigued me. Being in that environment transformed how I saw teaching. It became clear to me that when education is truly high-quality, it nurtures the whole person, not just academics but every aspect of a child’s growth.

3. How would you describe your role as a School Leadership Development Manager?

Victoria: My role as a School Support Manager at Dignitas is all about making sure our teacher training and coaching programs run smoothly and effectively. I work closely with our coaching team, ensuring they have everything they need to help teachers grow.

A big part of my job is coaching norming and tool norming. We’ve made significant changes this year to how we support teachers, so I ensure our coaches are aligned on how to deliver training, coaching and use the right tools in the field. I also focus on professional development (PD) for our coaches—identifying areas where they excel and where they might need more support, then developing training sessions to help them improve.

At Dignitas, we don’t just train teachers and leave it at that. After training, we follow up with coaching, helping teachers apply what they’ve learned in real classroom settings. Every school is different, some might have 20 students in a class, others have 40, so our coaching is personalized to help teachers make learning effective for their unique environments.

4. What does a typical day in your role look like?

Victoria: No two days are ever the same! Some days, I’m out in schools, working directly with teachers, observing their lessons, coaching them, and helping them implement what they’ve learned in training. Other days, I’m developing training content or collaborating with the team to improve how we support educators. It’s always dynamic and hands-on.

5. What’s one moment in your work that made you think, “Yes, this is why I do what I do”?

Victoria: There was a teacher who really struggled with classroom management. She felt like she had no control over her students, and it was affecting both her confidence and their learning. After going through training and coaching, everything changed. She started using simple but effective techniques, and her classroom became a completely different space—calm, engaging, and productive. Seeing that shift, not just in her teaching but in how her learners  responded, reminded me why this work matters.

6. What’s the biggest challenge educators face today?

Victoria: Many teachers feel unsupported. They’re expected to create great learning experiences, but they don’t always get the resources, training, or mentorship they need to do so. That’s where Dignitas comes in, we provide that support system. We equip teachers with skills, yes, but more importantly, we empower them with the confidence to use those skills effectively.

7. Dignitas focuses a lot on empowering educators. What does true empowerment look like for a teacher?

Victoria: It’s when a teacher understands that they have the ability to make real change in their classroom and community. It’s when they don’t just implement strategies because they were taught to but because they see the value in them and believe in their own ability to lead.

8. How does your work with teachers directly impact the learners in their classrooms?

Victoria: A teacher who feels confident and equipped to teach well creates a completely different learning environment. When teachers improve their instructional skills and leadership abilities, their learners benefit. They become more engaged, they perform better, and they develop a love for learning. So, while I don’t work directly with learners, the ripple effect of our work is massive.

9. Have you ever seen a teacher go through a complete transformation after Dignitas’ training?

Victoria: Yes, so many times! One teacher in particular stands out. She started off barely speaking in sessions, unsure of herself. By the end of the program, she was confidently leading discussions, mentoring other teachers, and implementing incredible changes in her classroom. She realized her own potential, and that changed everything for her and her students.

10. If you could change one misconception about teacher professional development, what would it be?

Victoria: That it’s just about attending training sessions. Real development happens in the day-to-day—the small adjustments, the willingness to reflect and improve, and the continuous learning that happens long after a workshop ends.

11.  If you could send one message to every teacher out there, what would it be?

Victoria: You matter more than you know. Every single day, you have the power to shape the future. Keep going.