Michael Essien M.ed.

Michael Essien M.Ed. has a diverse range of work experience in the education field. Michael has held the role of Director of Community Schools & Partnerships at the Alameda County Office of Education since 2023. Prior to this, they were the Chief Executive Officer of Essien Education Group.

Other notable experiences include serving as a Peer Resources Advisory Board Member at San Francisco Peer Resources, participating as a Workshop Participant at NEA, and being a Guest Speaker at the 2019 Legislative Conference for California State PTA.

Essien has also been a National Equity Project Fellow, a Co-Facilitator of Teacher Professional Development for the Manhood Development Program at the San Francisco Unified School District, and a Principal at the same district.

In addition, they have worked as a Presenter at various conferences and events, sharing their expertise on topics such as social-emotional learning, transformative work in education, push-in services, and the community schools model. Michael has also been involved in advisory committees and served as a Keynote Speaker at the 4th District Legislative PTA Meeting.

Furthermore, Essien has had the opportunity to present at the United States Congress, sharing their success story in using the Community Schools Model to impact positive outcomes in education.

Michael Essien earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American/Black Studies from the University of California, Berkeley in the years 1985 to 1991. Michael then went on to obtain a Master of Education degree, specializing in Education, from the same university from 2011 to 2013. Additionally, they obtained several certifications including the New Tech Network Certificate of Participation in NTN 101 New Staff Training and Connecting School Opportunity and Equity. Michael also holds an Administrative Services Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, obtained in July 2014, and an Education Specialist Instruction Credential, obtained in June 2009. In November 2016, they completed the National Institute for School Leadership program offered by the National Center on Education and the Economy.