Senior Director of Programs 

Dr. Annie Ferrell began her career in education as a first grade teacher at the Wilkinson Primary School in Washington, D.C. Upon moving to New York City, she joined Excellence Boys Charter School, in Brooklyn, NY, where she served grades K-4 as a reading specialist for several years. In that time, she earned her Master’s in Education at Hunter College and completed a scholarship program at Fordham University studing how to change outcomes for at-risk readers. From there, she transitioned into school leadership, serving as a director of staff development and then as elementary academy principal of Excellence Boys. When her first class of students graduated from the eighth grade, Annie joined Relay Graduate School of Education to dedicate herself fully to teacher preparation. As associate dean, Annie led the Relay New York campus vision for providing effective and responsive student advisement. Annie’s doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania investigated how graduate students of color experience trust and rapport with their advisors, exploring the complexities of racial trust working across lines of difference. Annie’s favorite childhood books are the 14 Bears in Summer and Winter by Evelyn Scott and Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town.

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