Chenell Sheppard brings over a decade of experience in education to her role as the Principal of Brooklyn Ascend Lower School. Sheppard comes to Ascend from PAVE Schools, where she served as the academic dean and assistant principal for grades K-8, driving significant growth in students’ independent reading skills and designing a school-wide approach to anti-racist education. Prior to her role at PAVE, Sheppard was a founding Assistant Principal at KIPP New Jersey, where she completed a two-year KIPP School Leadership Program and served on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Task Force. She began her career in education as an elementary school teacher through Teach for America in Baltimore, then serving as a teacher in the Achievement First network for several years. Sheppard holds a bachelor’s in environmental policy & management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry; a master’s in teaching with a concentration in elementary education from Johns Hopkins University; and a certificate in school management and leadership from Harvard Business School Online.