Portia White-Buze brings over 25 years of dedicated experience in education and community empowerment, with a deep commitment to supporting at-risk and underserved populations. Her career has been defined by her ability to work with the most challenging and diverse student populations, making her uniquely qualified to support justice-impacted individuals in their reintegration journey.

White-Buze has served as a classroom teacher since 1999, working across multiple grade levels (K-6) in Title 1 schools and internationally in the UAE. Throughout her career, she has consistently been entrusted with the most challenging and diverse students, developing expertise in creating safe, inclusive learning environments that address complex needs and circumstances.

For over 25 years, she has mentored students from Arizona State University and other institutions through various programs, student teaching, and internships, demonstrating her commitment to developing the next generation of educators and change-makers.

Community Engagement and Youth Development

Prior to her teaching career, White-Buze was deeply involved with the NAACP ACT-SO Achievement Program, supporting Arizona high school students in developing their academic and creative talents. This early experience with youth advocacy and empowerment shaped her understanding of how structured support and mentorship can transform lives and open pathways to success.

Specialized Skills for Reintegration Support

White-Buze has developed unique teaching methodologies that translate directly to adult learning and reintegration support:

• Creative Learning Approaches: Developed innovative methods including student-written costumed plays for American history and repurposed popular songs with movement to enhance concept retention
• Cooperative Learning: Created team-based projects that build collaboration skills and confidence
• Communication Development: Facilitated lively discussions and debates to help students "find their voices" and gain confidence in expressing their opinions
• Individualized Support: Extensive experience meeting with students and families to develop personalized improvement strategies

Educational Innovation and Project Management

Her leadership roles demonstrate strong organizational and program development skills:

• School Improvement Leadership team member
• Coordinator of OKI Literacy and Technology Project
• Office of Civil Rights (OCR)/LAS Coordinator with data management and reporting responsibilities
• District trainer and curriculum coordinator
• Project eXcellence site liaison, focusing on enrichment programs for underserved communities

Online Education Pioneer

Since 2019, White-Buze has taught online courses at Arizona State University, developing expertise in virtual learning platforms that can be adapted for flexible reentry programming. She has successfully balanced face-to-face and online instruction since Spring 2024.

Philosophy and Approach

White-Buze prefers to be called "Buze" (pronounced "Buzz"), reflecting her energetic commitment to personal, professional, and student growth. Her passion for project-based curricula that sustainably enhance at-risk communities aligns perfectly with The Rise Group's mission of transforming lives through structured, purposeful programming.

Her quarter-century of experience working with individuals facing significant challenges, combined with her proven ability to create supportive environments that foster growth and self-advocacy, makes her an invaluable asset to The Rise Group's reintegration and community rebuilding efforts.

Portia received her Bachelors in Elementary Education from Ottawa University, and Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton College of Engineering.