Michael McAlister

Michael G. McAlister, Ed.D.

Walnut Creek, CA | 925-899-1920 | DrMGMcAlister@gmail.com| LinkedIn

 

Designer of Teaching and Learning Experience

Change Management | Team Leadership | Program Management

Distinguished education leader, instructional technology consultant, curricular specialist, and program manager with over 2 years of experience driving complex projects to successful completion. Focused on cultivating relationships, building highly cohesive teams and supporting learning. Exemplary background in professional development, innovating, devising, launching, and completing projects that support strategic goals. Author, skilled public speaker, and presenter recognized for contributing deep subject matter expertise to design and leading complex grants and partnerships to advance team objectives.

Staff Training & Development
Strategic Planning & Analysis
Relationship Management
Performance Improvement
Executive Presentations
Education Enhancement
Executive Coaching
Classroom & Online Instruction
Account Management
Research
Project Management
Strategic Partnerships
Communication
Team Leadership
Consensus Building
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Experience

 

2024 • La Entrada Middle School • Menlo Park, CA
Associate Principal

Supervised and mentored staff, ensuring continued outstanding performance,  and high morale. Collaborated and communicated effectively with many different groups of stakeholders with differing viewpoints. Provided effective, consistent, thoughtful counsel and leadership while involving faculty, staff, parents, and students. Motivated a creative environment and supported professional learning communities; used strategies to improve curricula, instruction, and management of practices. Helped manage school operations and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

 

2024 • Apple, Inc. • Cupertino, CA
Education Leadership Executive

Offered educational expertise to California schools and districts interested in supporting student learning outcomes with Apple’s technology. Partnered with educational organizations and their leaders to intentionally design support, clarify purpose, and implement strategic plans. Guided collaboration in order to develop students’ academic achievement and social wellbeing. Drove growth in the K-12 education channel as the trusted advisor to district superintendents, cabinets, principals, and other executive decision makers. In this capacity, I applied thought leadership, and advanced academic credentials to define the account EdTech vision, build credibility, influence adoption, and support meaningful integration of Apple hardware and software solutions across student learning journeys.

Successfully positioned Apple as the EdTech solutions partner of choice, assisted educational leaders in visioning new academic possibilities through Apple partnership. This enabled us to initiate, manage, and grow Apple-supported learning journeys for major districts in Northern California.
Delivered ongoing account value through the integration of hardware, software, AppleTV, coding and creativity curricula, lab tools, and other education solutions.
Used design thinking and change management in partnership with account managers, sales engineers, district executives, and IT leaders in designing solutions and upscaling academic trajectories.

 

2014 – 2020 • Northgate High School • Walnut Creek, CA

Principal

Led the delivery of innovative and engaging curriculum to over 1,500 students at this Walnut Creek high school, while ensuring excellence for the entire student population. Managed and directed 80 faculty members, 30 staff, with 22 direct reports. Steered significant improvements in education quality leading to increased graduation rates from 87% to 98% within two years, decreased disciplinary incidents by 40%, and improved relationships among staff, students, and parent organizations. Oversaw multiple simultaneous projects. Drove the integration of technological infrastructure and application in all classrooms. Partnered with neighboring district leaders in athletic league administration as well as with community leaders across functional teams to evaluate, conceptualize, design, and implement programs that support strategic goals. Conducted qualitative and quantitative analysis, synthesizing data to deliver status updates and analytics to stakeholders. Drove equity and inclusion programming, including integration and support of risk population and remained abreast of issues relating to diversity, inclusion, and social-emotional wellbeing in school operations, shifting culture among students, staff and community.

Recruited, hired and trained top talent, achieving zero turnover of 40 new hires from 2014 through 2020.
Built consensus among peers, resources and the community, creating a clear sense of mission and purpose, securing a $750,000 budget of state funds and booster/parent club fundraising.
Achieved major win over key initiative threatening to decrease diversity on campus put to vote at the County Board of Education; endorsed by the City.
Guided the conclusion of a $6M capital project involving bond funds and community donations for an aquatics complex, a new football stadium and turf, and a remodeled gym.
Implemented mindfulness practices for students and staff in the classrooms, leading to a positive cultural shift and reduced pathological levels of stress in students and staff.
Launched successful “wellness days” initiative where staff take care of each other and support academic excellence, facilitating all stakeholders in having a sense of wellbeing.
Spearheaded a successful developmental plan for increasing student achievement and teacher performance
2010 – 2014 • Miramonte High School • Orinda, CA

Assistant Principal

Managed and oversaw technical infrastructure, steering disciplinary action of faculty and campus as well as managing and heading up technology infrastructure and integration in the classroom. Reengineered the way curriculum was delivered, ensuring the support of counselors, sports training and coaches. Oversaw team of 8 direct reports.

Integrated effective mindfulness practices with wellness built into the classroom and designing curriculum that created a sense of well-being.
Conceptualized and implemented a 1-to-1 student to device program, providing iPads to freshman to augment classroom education delivery; overcame resistance and now entire school participates.
Oversaw technological integration among faculty, staff, and students.
Developed and delivered training and professional learning to better meet strategic goals.
Built and developed innovative courses and curriculum at all grade levels.
Delivered guidance and leadership in pedagogy, evaluation and assessment of outcomes, supporting professional development, athletics, and advocacy, as well as critical reflection and discourse.
EARLY CAREER

ACALANES HIGH SCHOOL • Teacher • 1995 – 2010
Defined strategic goals and priorities both in and out of the classroom, providing students and teachers access to enhanced learning opportunities. Served as Teacher & Administrator, overseeing professional development, student discipline and student body budgets. Managed student activities and coordinated community outreach, including organizing professional articulation across the district as Department Chair. Taught AP Comparative Government, Economics, Psychology, US History and World History. Technology and new teacher mentor, charged with leading trainings in technological integration, serving as forum panel member at 2012 ISTE conference and directing ongoing professional development.

 

STANLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL • Teacher • 1993 – 1995

Aligned social studies curriculum with state standards for 7th and 8th grade history courses. Served on district textbook adoption for social studies courses, and piloted team-teaching with English and science teachers for entire eighth grade. Embedded early Internet technologies as research and presentational enhancements across curriculum for students in 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

 

Education

 

Doctor of Education, Global Executive • University of Southern California, 2018

Rossier School of Education | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (SAR), Fall 2016, Fall 2017 | Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar, Winter 2018 | University of Helsinki & Ministry of Education & Culture, Helsinki, Finland, Spring 2018  | Dissertation – Deepening Awareness: The Integration of Mindfulness Practices in U.S. High Schools

Master of Science, Educational Leadership • California State University, East Bay, 2014

Administrative Services Credential – Tier I & Tier II
CLAD (Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development) Certificate | Single Subject Teaching Credential

Bachelor of Arts, History • University of California, Berkeley, 1987

Affiliations & Activities

 

Licensed in Organizational Development and Executive Coaching from ICF.
Keynote Speaker, Orange County Department of Education, Project GLAD Summit – Finding Creativity in Chaos, October, 2020.
Hawaii International Conference on Education – Presenter/Workshop Leader, “Integrating Mindfulness into Your School.” Honolulu, 2019.
Xi’An International Community and XLIS Education Forum – Presented, offered council and guidance on developing broad-based, collaborative educational goals for China’s international educational efforts. Xi’An, China, Fall 2017.
King’s Academy – Participated in dialogs addressing cross-cultural student achievement, curricular innovation and integration in both the classroom and the community. Amman, Jordan, Winter, 2018.
Principal’s Center – Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Leadership: An Evolving Vision. Participant, 2013.
Author – Awake in This Life: A Guide for Those Climbing the Mountain of Spirit, 2008.
Founder – Axentik, LLC, a patented design process and product that disinfects surfaces.