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Michele Shannon was a national designer and facilitator for the Leadership Academy, where she built the capacity of educational leaders through leadership training to confront inequities and create conditions for students to thrive. Previously, she was chief of schools for Boston Public Schools, where she led a team of eight Instructional superintendents focused on eliminating the opportunity and achievement gaps in the system. Based on Fullan’s “Right Drivers,” BPS designed a school support structure grounded in a system of teams that focused on group capacity building of school and teacher leaders. Shannon and her team developed a coherent system of professional learning in the district, creating a culture of collaboration and thought partnership and ensuring better support for school leaders, whom she believes are the lead drivers of instructional improvement.
Shannon has been a teacher, school social worker, assistant principal, and principal in the New York City Department of Education. She also led the leadership development and evaluation team in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Shannon graduated from John Adams High School in Ozone Park, NY. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Baruch College, a Master of Social Work from Hunter College, School District Leadership certification from Queens College and a Doctorate in Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.