De’Andre has worked tirelessly for the last 17 years to advocate for the families and children within the state, particularly the Metro Atlanta communities. De’Andre, originally from Springdale, Ohio, moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College to study English, Sociology and African American Studies.
Since 2006, De’Andre has served in many educational capacities from Educational Specialist and Dean of Students to recently having served as the Dean of Student and Academic Affairs for Literacy Action, the oldest, largest, and leading adult basic education nonprofit in the Southeastern United States. De’Andre most recently served as the Associate Program Director for Givingpoint, a non-profit that seeks to unleash the passion and energy of young people to create an unprecedented level of civic engagement – to create caring hearts and entrepreneurial minds.
De’Andre’s community ties continue to run deep within organizations that are building educational improvements and financial stability. Serving as the Educational Attainment and Community Relations Director for the South Fulton Business Coalition, De’Andre’s diverse background in community relationship building along with his experience in education, makes De’Andre a key asset to the Business Coalition and other community partnerships and relationships. He continues to serve in many capacities that enrich the quality of life for the families in our communities. In 2013, De’Andre was appointed as a Commissioner to the City of East Point Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission.
In 2015, DeAndre was appointed as the Deputy Executive Director and Chief of Staff for the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus under then leadership former State Representative Dee Dawkins-Haigler. During the same year, Google selected DeAndre as one of 16 persons from around the nation to become the first Digital Inclusion Fellows.
De’Andre’s community engagement has flourished, serving as the President and CEO of the Governing Board from 2013- 2019 for The Main Street Academy, Inc., a Charter School within the Fulton County School District where he served as an advocate for over 900 students and 100 staff members through ensuring fiscal health for the school and academic standards are being met. In 2019, he served as the President of the Board of Directors for The RISE Schools, another public Charter School within the Fulton County School District and on February 8, 2022, he was selected as the Interim Executive
Director/Superintendent to lead The RISE Schools. Adding to his record of service, on April 15, 2020, De’Andre was sworn in as a member of the Georgia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where he serves as the Vice Chair.
De’Andre now serves as the Quality Assurance & Program Director for the WestCare Foundation’s Trauma- Informed Ministry Model (TIMM) Program, which enables faith communities and their clergy to use their platforms to build bridges between formal and informal support systems, promote cultural understanding and responsiveness, and foster both individual and communal healing from trauma. Dr. Pickett also is the Principal Consultant and CEO of 357 Education Group, a multi-facet Consulting Company providing professional development for black and brown educators for classroom best practices, coaching techniques on differentiated learning, privilege recognition, social justice and diversity training.