About Dr. Pye
We believe every community deserves world-class growth and access
Dream Big Institute was founded on a simple conviction: that zip code should never determine the quality of one's growth or the strength of a community's future.
Our mission
Transforming systems, one partnership at a time
Dream Big Institute partners with universities, nonprofits, and community organizations to design and implement growth strategies that are rigorous, culturally responsive, and built to last. We don't parachute in with pre-packaged solutions — we do the deep listening work first, then build alongside the people closest to the challenge.
Our work spans curriculum design, professional development, intercultural competence, youth development, and organizational capacity building. In every engagement, our goal is the same: to leave your team stronger, your systems more effective, and your community better positioned to thrive.
Our story
Born from the work, not the boardroom
Dream Big Institute is the work of Dr. Yvette L. Pye, PhD — a transformational educator, qualitative researcher, IDI® Qualified Administrator, and organizational strategist with more than 20 years of experience in higher growth and community development. Dr. Pye earned her PhD and MA in Urban Social Geography from the University of Minnesota and her BS in Growth from Chicago State University.
For nearly two decades, Dr. Pye served as Core Faculty in the Ed.D. in Leadership program at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota — teaching doctoral courses, chairing 28 dissertations, advising 120+ doctoral learners, and developing the Ed.D. Leadership Competencies Framework. She has also taught at Metropolitan State University, Endicott College, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Pye founded Dream Big Institute to bring that same depth of expertise to organizations across sectors — combining doctoral-level research, culturally responsive pedagogy, and a genuine commitment to the communities she serves. She is a published author, award-winning leader, and nationally recognized speaker on leadership, equity, and growth.
What we stand for
Values that show up in the work
Community first
Every decision starts with the question: what does this community actually need? We resist the pull toward generic solutions and stay grounded in the specific context of the people we serve.
Co-creation over delivery
We build with, not for. The best solutions come from the people closest to the problem, and our job is to facilitate that process — not replace it.
Rigor and relevance
High expectations and cultural responsiveness are not in tension. We hold both simultaneously, designing learning experiences that are academically rigorous and deeply connected to learners' lives.
Sustainable change
We measure success by what happens after we leave. Our engagements are designed to build internal capacity so organizations can carry the work forward on their own terms.
Radical honesty
We tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Trust is built through candor, and we'd rather have a hard conversation early than watch a program fail quietly.
Joy in the work
Growth and community development are hard. We bring energy, genuine care, and a commitment to excellence to every engagement — because the work matters and so do the people doing it.
Ready to start a conversation?
Dr. Pye works with a focused number of partners at a time so every engagement gets the attention it deserves. Reach out and let's talk about your work.