Andria McMichael
Senior Vice President of Early Learning, YMCA of Metro Atlanta

Candidate Statement

Delivering excellence has been the hallmark of my career in teacher leadership roles in Early Learning, K-12, and higher educational levels. Throughout the course of my professional career, I’ve enjoyed ample opportunities to demonstrate intentional coaching and collaborations with stakeholders gaining a greater consensus in child-centered programming that inspires community and parental involvement.

Select highlights of my career contributions and achievement thus far include:

• Empowered educational leaders as change agents in student achievement through data- driven instruction and programming.
• Rallied creditable partners and external stakeholders in funding for various program initiatives that benefit children, families, and teachers.
• Leveraged relationships with state, federal, and local authorizers to meet more effective strategic outcomes.
• Participated on advisory councils and school governing boards in enhancing policies that increase alignment to the needs of families being served.
• Researched and refined techniques in building program partnerships.

As a change agent and member of Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children, I strive to apply my passion for influencing colleagues, advocates, and allies in their commitment of shared accountability for cultivating teachers with tenacity to embrace discovery learning, increase active research for developmentally appropriate practices, and consider diverse perspectives that honors the uniqueness in every child.

Bio

As Vice President of Early Learning for the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Andria McMichael, Ed.D., leads the Association’s effort to provide best-in-class early learning environments for Atlanta’s children and families. With direct responsibility for signature programs, Read Right from the Start, STEAM, Start for Life and Early Learning Readiness, deployed across 7 counties and 13 Early Learning Centers, her work includes a focus on driving programmatic quality, consistency, growth and innovation; business and partnership development; oversight of curriculum and content development; and public representation of and advocacy for the YMCA’s Early Learning work and achievements.

Andria joined the YMCA in 2019 from Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, Virginia, where she was the Leadership Development Specialist, after having the role of Regional Director for the Imagine Schools of Maryland in Prince George’s, Maryland. In addition, she has served as Course Evaluator in the Curriculum and Instruction Department at Western Governors University; as Adjunct Professor for the Center of Urban Education at the University of the District of Columbia, in Washington D.C.; as Mentor for the Educational Leadership and Administration program at George Washington University, in Washington D.C.; and as Assistant Professor of the College of Education at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia.

Earlier in her career, Andria worked with the DeKalb County School District in a number of roles, including as Title 1 Instructional Coach, Teach Support Specialist, and Teacher.

Andria graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Child Development, from Spelman College, in Atlanta, Georgia; with a Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Central Michigan University, in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; received a Masters Level Educational Leadership Certificate from Georgia State University, in Atlanta, Georgia; achieved a certification in Advanced Educational Leadership from Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and obtained her Doctorate of Education (Educational Leadership) from Argosy University in Atlanta, Georgia.