Michelle D. Young

Michelle D. Young, Ph.D., is the Dean of the Berkeley School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. She is a distinguished scholar of educational policy and leadership, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications focused on equity in educational leadership preparation and policy analysis.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
  • M.A., University of Texas at Austin
  • B.A., Southwestern University

Her research centers on critical policy analysis, examining power dynamics and structural inequalities in educational policy-making and implementation. She has pioneered frameworks for equity-focused educational leadership preparation programs and investigated the practical impacts of policies on marginalized communities.

Young has received multiple scientific awards, including the AERA Lifetime Achievement Award and the Edwin M. Bridges Award, recognizing her contributions to educational leadership research. She co-edited influential texts such as Redesigning Educational Leadership Preparation for Equity (2021) and the Handbook of Critical Education Research (2023).

• Leadership Roles:
  • Former Executive Director, University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) (20+ years)
  • Current Dean, Berkeley School of Education
  • Co-Founder and Co-Director, INSPIRE Leadership Collaborative
  • Board memberships: WestEd, PACE, CADREI, SOAR