Michele M. R. Murphy Associate Director, Center for Educational Improvement

Michele Rivers Murphy, EdD, CEI’s Associate Director of Heart Centered Learning, is a seasoned consultant, presenter, and educational leader. A change agent for over two decades, she has helped transform some of the highest-needs neighborhoods and districts by improving student engagement, school culture, and academic success.

Michele’s organizational research specifically addresses the challenges associated with childhood trauma and stress that compromise learning and teaching. Through building compassionate, supportive school environments, educators learn to find balance between social-emotional health and well-being and academic achievement.

Michele has served as an educational leader at all grade levels. As an administrator, she created an innovative disciplinary approach as an alternative to in-school and out-of-school suspension, completely eliminating in-school suspension and decreasing out-of-school suspension by 75 percent. In addition, she expanded high-needs programming to a mainstream setting, with a focus on real-life practice, service, and connection to community. She also created a 21st century school community model, which she presented to the Massachusetts Secretary of Education.

Michele is co-author (with Christine Mason) of Mindful School Communities and Mindfulness Practices, and co-developer and co-author of The School Compassionate Culture Analytical Tool for Educators (S-CCATE). Michele obtained a doctoral degree in educational leadership (K–12) from Northeastern University. She also holds multiple certifications in both regular and special education.