Founding Principal : Kellie Mowll

Kellie Mowll

MA Educational Leadership and Innovation, 2013

Based in:

Los Angeles

Formerly from:

USA

First job:

Chesapeake Bagel Company in Northville, Michigan, in high school.

Strangest interview question:

How has a woman so small made such an impact with boys so big?

Advice for current students:

Keep going. Everything will work out. Everything will be okay.

Ambitions for the future:

I want to continue riding the wave of innovative education that makes learning accessible and creates desire and hunger for more. I want to continue opening schools with amazing teams of people who create hope in every one of us – hope that fuels amazing outcomes, fulfilling lives, and overall happiness with the lives we live.

Secondary Administrator, Data and Instructional Coach and University Liaison, WISH Charter Schools; Founding Principal, WISH Academy High School; School of Education Fieldwork Instructor, Loyola Marymount University.

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

I absolutely love starting schools and working on teams that are at the cutting edge of innovation in education. WISH Charter Schools run fully inclusive schools in which students are not pulled out for special services and instead have all supports fully incorporated into the classroom, regardless of any type of challenge. This could be physical, cognitive, or social-emotional – all students are included. When I was offered a position to be the founding principal of their brand-new, fully inclusive high school, and to work on a team opening yet another school, I could not resist. "Yes" was going to be my only answer. The feeling of working with a team to create a school is second to none. The hard work, grit, grind, and everyday push to create something amazing and be original in the work feels incredible. The position was perfect for me.

What’s your favourite part of the role?

Developing administrators, teachers, and others in education to reach their potential, grow into positive changemakers, and feel real purpose in this work and their lives.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

Action research was the most important part of my journey at the University of Warwick. The collaboration, understanding the appropriate ways to conduct research, and the on-site execution of collecting information and data made a world of difference.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

Absolutely not. I have always been 100% interested in innovative practices within global education.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Keep going. If you have a passion, do not stop, do not give up. There are thousands of people in education looking for someone just like you to make a difference to children's lives through teaching, learning, and the power of knowledge.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Each morning, I wake up my children, get them ready for school, and drop them off at WISH Elementary, the same organisation I work for at the secondary level. Upon arrival, I walk through classrooms to see the amazing impact our teachers are having on young people. Once at my desk, I answer emails and speak to my colleagues about tasks that need to be achieved for the day. I then spend the day supporting teaching and learning, coaching and developing teachers, and supporting our Executive Director with co-location, grants, and university connections to drive our programs forward. At the end of the work day, I pick up my children, learn about their happy (and challenging) moments during the day, and finish with dinner discussions, bedtime routines, and the comfort of knowing I will do it all again the next day. I just know the next day will have an entirely new set of positive connections.

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

My biggest gain from challenges has been learning to work effectively with others who may not share the same thoughts, ideas, or characteristics as I do. Over time, these experiences helped shaped my skills. I have been blessed with absolutely amazing leaders throughout my career, and by observing their outstanding performance in working with others, reaching goals, and achieving results, I have developed empathetic and humanistic skills, making it easier to connect with others.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in relation to your career?

Start with the end in mind. The impact you will have will increase tenfold.

What should current students or recent alumni be doing to move their careers forward?

Connect, but mean it. Find a way to be interested in others and truly be passionate about the career path you choose. It might change, and that is okay, but having sincerity in the work you do, with love, excitement, and drive, makes a world of difference to those who work with you. Take the time to get to know people to support them in making the best educational or career choices for themselves. It is then that you will have an impact, and a very positive one at that.