Dr. Michelle Neely

For 22 years, Dr. Michelle Neely has worked across the spectrum of K-12 education in the DFW area. Dr. Neely earned a Bachelor of Arts from Sam Houston State University, a Master of Art in Communications Arts from Southern Methodist University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. During graduate school, Michelle was recognized for her instructional talent as a graduate assistant and was encouraged to pursue teaching by professors at Southern Methodist University.

After graduate school, Michelle Neely started her career in education in Dallas Independent School District, where she taught Reading Language Arts, K-5 Gifted and Talented, Science, and Social Studies for ten years. Michelle was the founding Associate Principal of Teaching and Learning at The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA) in Dallas ISD. BOMLA is a nationally recognized Blue-Ribbon School. Dr. Neely also served as the Dean of Students at Ferris Junior High School.

Today, Dr. Neely is one of the leading innovative educators in the country. She serves as the proud Principal of Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy in DeSoto,Texas, which was recently named on of the top elementary and middle schools in the country. Under Dr. Neely's Leadership, KJTMA earned an A-rating and six academic distinctions for the 2021-2022 school year. Dr. Neely’s passion is helping students use what they learn in school to address situations in the world and helping teachers realize their full potential.

Michelle is married to Adrian L. Neely Jr., and they have three children, Taylor (21), Joshua (17), and Micah (16).