Michelle Icenogle, MA, MSW

Student supports & School systems

Michelle is passionate about direct and systems-based work that impacts the educational growth and social-emotional well-being of students across the K-12 ecosystem. Her 20+ year professional background in education includes classroom teacher, school social worker, coach, and systems-level administrator. Her focus has been in the areas of special education, social-emotional learning (SEL), behavioral support and mental health, state and federal compliance with special populations, and civil rights laws, as well as policy and systems building and management. Her self-defined biggest successes have been transitioning schools and larger school systems to policies and practices that build stronger relationships and supports, increasing student and family engagement, and lowering exclusionary discipline practices. These core practices include, but are not limited to, implementation of restorative practices and trauma-informed care throughout a multi-tiered system of supports.

Michelle started her professional life in education as a Teach For America corps member with the Houston Independent School District. Following that she deferred graduate school for a year to work at the original KIPP Middle School in Houston before going on to earn her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She then served as the founding social worker at KIPP Philadelphia Charter School for four years before moving to California. In California, Michelle spent almost a decade with Aspire Public Schools at their Home Office where, among other things, she was responsible for growing their social-emotional and mental health programs, initiating and implementing restorative practices system-wide, and collaboratively leading their SEL curriculum adoption. She is currently continuing this work at Downtown College Prep, a charter management organization serving first generation students and their families in San Jose, California.

Michelle holds an MA in Educational Administration from San Francisco State University, an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. She is the proud parent of a small human who pushes her daily to re-engage in the work required to make sure everyone has an equitable opportunity to grow and show the exceptional talents they hold within them.