Dr. Chelsea Kirk

Dr. Chelsea Kirk serves as the Executive Director at the Goodwill Excel Center (GEC). Chelsea joined GEC in 2016 as the founding Lead Humanities Instructor and became the Director in 2018. As the Director, Chelsea has led the school to great strides in creating a community of inclusivity that fully embraces an innovative mindset. She has focused on staff and student retention, student engagement, and holistic student supports to drive student academic outcomes and postsecondary plans. She has worked with the leadership team to both meet and exceed key charter goals each year, while continuing to implement new policies and operations to enhance the student experience and grow the school.

Chelsea comes to GEC from Maya Angelou Academy (MAA), where she was the Assistant Principal. MAA is a charter high school located in New Beginnings Youth Development Center, which is the District’s secure facility for adjudicated youth. Chelsea is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and has been a District resident since graduating from Dartmouth College. She was a 2010 Teach for America Corps Member in the District. Chelsea earned her Masters in Teaching from American University and earned her Ed.D in education leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. She has a passion for finding ways to expand traditional notions of student success. She believes every student deserves a high-quality and high-service educational environment and experience that fosters a sense of community, agency, and is grounded in relationships. She strongly believes that exposure and opportunity are critical levers for student outcomes.