Dr. Alison Gillespie currently serves as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning within the White Bear Lake Area Schools located near St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Gillespie has held a variety of school leadership roles in Minnesota including: High School Principal and District Level Principal on Special Assignment for White Bear Lake Area Schools, Associate Principal at Wayzata High School and Alternative High School Supervisor for various schools supporting students in Richfield and Minneapolis Public Schools. Alison started her career as a middle school and high school educator for English Learners in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Chandler, Arizona; and Richfield, Minnesota prior to entering school leadership in 2004.
Dr. Gillespie is passionate about transforming schools and aligning district systems to ensure high achievement and humanizing, culturally affirming experiences are realized consistently for each student. Alison is committed to organizational health and building a truly collaborative culture between district and building leaders. She is knowledgeable in leadership team development, strategic planning and continuous improvement. She serves as an adjunct professor in K-12 principal licensure programs, facilitates professional development in culturally responsive school leadership and coaches principal interns. Dr. Gillespie holds national certifications in principal mentorship through the National Association of Elementary School Principals and instructional leadership from AVID and AASA.
Alison earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle/Secondary Education and Spanish from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, and M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.