Michelle Allen
As a Leader Coach, Michelle will provide high-impact coaching using the blended coaching approach as part of the two-year Neubauer Fellowship experience. Her student-centered approach reflects an unwavering commitment to Philadelphia’s children, driven by a deep passion for advancing educational equity that fuels her dedication to creating inclusive learning environments where every child has the opportunity to thrive. She views early literacy not just as a fundamental skill but as a force for liberation and justice.
Michelle is a proud native of Philadelphia, an alumna of Roxborough High School, and a dedicated advocate for the city’s youth. Her coaching experience extends beyond teachers to aspiring school leaders, principals, and principal supervisors. Prior to joining PASL, Michelle served as an Executive Director at Children’s Literacy Initiative, where she led business development and implemented equity-centered workshops and coaching for school leaders and teachers.
Michelle’s career journey also includes impactful roles at Mastery Charter Schools, where she excelled as a Founding Assistant Principal of turnaround school Harrity Elementary. Under her leadership, math scores in grades 3 through 8 increased by 19 percentage points, and reading scores increased by 11 percentage points. Her educational career began as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia.
In addition to instructional leadership, Michelle recognizes that teachers and principals are pivotal to student achievement. As Senior Director of Talent at KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools, she spearheaded recruitment efforts and partnered with principals to ensure effective educators in every classroom, with a specific focus on hiring and retaining BIPOC teachers and leaders. Her initiatives led to a 35% increase in BIPOC applicants and a 25% increase in male applicants through innovative employee value propositions and referral campaigns.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Cabrini University, and a Master of Science in Education with a focus on literacy from the same institution. When she’s not working, Michelle enjoys quality time with her husband and two children, traveling, and giving out high-fives on the Peloton leaderboard.