Leadership

Dr. Athena Stanley — a proud Yooper and Marquette native — holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning from the State University of New York – University at Buffalo (2018), as well as an M.A.E. in Educational Instruction (2013) and a B.A. in Elementary Education (2010) from Northern Michigan University (N.M.U.).

A professional educator with more than 15 years of global teaching and leadership experience, Dr. Stanley has worked with thousands of students across four continents, teaching and designing curriculum in the U.S., Ecuador, Turkey, and China. Her international career includes leadership roles such as English Education Manager, Primary School Curriculum Lead, Head of Grade 5, and Head of Grade 3.

Dr. Stanley has taught all grades K–6 across subjects, including ELA (reading, writing, speaking, listening, media literacy, and SPaG—spelling, punctuation, and grammar), math, science, social studies, drama, technology, and character development/pastoral care. She has worked extensively with a wide range of curriculum frameworks, including the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), American Education Reaches Out (AERO), the C3 Framework, UK National Standards, Cambridge frameworks, the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards, and other international standards.

She later served as an Assistant Professor at NMU’s Global Campus, teaching in the Applied Workplace Leadership program. In this role, she supported 140 pre-service teachers, long-term substitute teachers, and paraprofessionals in Michigan’s Talent Together and national Grow Your Own initiatives (2023–2024), and taught leadership courses to students representing 46 academic majors (2024–2025). Dr. Stanley also contributed to state-level teacher certification through Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) committees, presented on AI in teaching and learning (e.g., Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference, Michigan Technological University, 2025), and led AI-focused professional development on campus.

Alongside her university and international leadership roles, Dr. Stanley has more than four years of private tutoring experience—including 1.5 years in Ecuador and 2.5 years of remote international tutoring while based in Marquette—working one-on-one with learners from kindergarten through adult. She has supported students from more than 25 countries across K–12 literacy, writing, ESL/EFL, Business English, and test preparation (MAP, WIDA, TOEFL, Cambridge, CEFR).

In addition to her Ph.D., she holds a Certificate in School Management & Leadership from Harvard Business School (2021), maintains a Michigan Elementary Teaching Certificate (2010–present), and is an American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer. This blend of expertise in education, leadership, and wellness informs her holistic, inquiry-based approach to learning.

Dr. Stanley has completed more than 100 supplemental certificates and earned over 220 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) across areas such as generative AI, instructional design, SEL, research ethics, SIOP, UbD, and leadership. Her coursework spans platforms including LinkedIn, Udemy, and Coursera, and institutions and organizations such as Vanderbilt University, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, UC Irvine, Northwestern University, the University of Michigan, CITI, EduCare (TES) in partnership with COBIS, and Michigan Virtual.

When she’s not teaching, Dr. Stanley enjoys staying active, contributing to arts and culture initiatives as Secretary of Marquette’s Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (A.C.A.C.), protecting the Great Lakes as a Director at Large for Great Lakes Great Responsibility, and connecting with learners across the globe.