This paper posits innovative leadership preparation at one University that established collaborative, shared coursework between instructional and teacher leadership. This re/visioned model focuses on cultural proficiency, distributed leadership, and examination of socially just practices fostering more democratic and inclusive practices. The authors examine how reframing leadership preparation adds legitimacy to leadership roles by better allocating resources to strengthen institutional culture and promote school improvement. Building capacity to develop collaborative, working relationships enhances organizational efficiency and better positions leaders to be agents for instructional excellence equipped with knowledge, skills, dispositions, and vision for socially just leadership within the school and community.