Sharif El-Mekki

Sharif El-Mekki is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Center for Black Educator Development, which he launched in June 2019.12 The Center's mission is to revolutionize education by dramatically increasing the number of Black educators to benefit low-income Black and other disenfranchised students.1

Career Highlights

• Education: El-Mekki has a 26-year career in education, including roles as a teacher and principal in West Philadelphia neighborhood schools.2
• Principal: He served as principal of Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus for 11 years, where his school received numerous awards and recognition from President Obama and Oprah Winfrey.12
• Founder: In 2014, El-Mekki founded The Fellowship – Black Male Educators for Social Justice, dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and developing Black male teachers.13
• Government Role: He served as a U.S. Department of Education Principal Ambassador Fellow.12

The Center for Black Educator Development

Under El-Mekki's leadership, the Center focuses on:

• Recruiting and supporting Black educators nationally and locally2
• Ensuring equity in recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of quality educators3
• Developing a national pipeline to empower Black teachers4

Additional Involvement

• Blogger on Phillys7thWard.org12
• Member of the 8 Black Hands education podcast12
• Served on the Philadelphia Mayor's Commission on African American Males24

Sharif El-Mekki's work is driven by a strong desire to address issues relating to social and racial justice, equity, and educational opportunities, influenced by his family background as the son of two Black Panther Party members.4