Overview:
Leigh Alley champions a whole-child approach to education, insisting that when schools prioritize teacher relationships and well-being, both teachers and students succeed.
In an era where education policy tends to focus on test scores, race guidelines, and performance metrics, educators like Dr. Leigh Alley reminds the profession of a fundamental truth: schools are human systems before they are educational.
A lifelong beachcomber and proud community educator, Dr. Alley serves as the Teacher Education Coordinator at the University of Maine at Augusta, where she prepares teachers to lead with empathy, adaptability, and holistic thinking. Her teaching and research focuses on whole child education, trauma-informed practice, social emotional learning (SEL), and teacher resilience in a rapidly evolving educational environment.
Seeing his leadership and influence in this field, Dr. Alley was also selected as a member of the second cohort of the Top 50 Educators of 2026, an honor presented by The Educator’s Room to celebrate the innovative educators who are shaping the future of teaching and learning.
Building the Next Generation of Educators for Every Child
Dr. Alley designed the world’s first Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) dedicated to Whole Child Education, a pioneering graduate program grounded in neuroscience and holistic pedagogy. Through this program and his teaching at UMA, he prepares teachers to advance their mission and work effectively in classrooms that advance holistic teaching and learning.
At the university, she teaches courses such as The Whole Child, Educator Self-Care and Resilience, and Trauma-Sensitive Practices, which help educators develop the tools needed to navigate the emotional and relational complexities of modern classrooms.
His work has consistently focused on the idea that teacher strengths and student success are deeply connected.
“I was drawn to education because I have always believed that learning can be a change in a person’s life – not just academically, but emotionally and in relationships, it was really like that for me,” explained Dr. Alley.
Like many teachers, her career began with a focus on teaching and curriculum. However, over time, he realized that the deepest work of education lies in cultivating environments where both students and teachers can thrive.
“At the beginning of my career, I thought my career would focus on teaching and curriculum. Over time, my passion deepened into something more holistic: creating environments where people can exist, heal, and grow.”
Today, that philosophy drives what he calls holistic teaching and learning—an approach based on the belief that supporting the whole child requires supporting the whole teacher.
“I am committed to helping teachers develop clarity, language, and habits to support the whole child, and to nurture themselves and their colleagues at the same time. I have seen that when teachers are resourced, connected, and well, they become the kind of stable, courageous, leaders students need.”
Redefining What Support Looks Like
One of the most powerful moments in Dr. Alley has witnessed the transformation that occurs when teachers feel truly supported.
“The most important moment for me is watching teachers go from ‘I fail’ to ‘I learn’ if they get the right support,” he said. “I’ve been in too many rooms where teachers carry stress, grief, and fatigue in silence—and are ashamed of it.”
Her work intentionally creates spaces where teachers can acknowledge those realities and rebuild from them.
“The moments that confirm my commitment are those when a teacher speaks the truth of what they hold, feels they have a real asset, and then begins to rethink what is possible for them and their students.”
Designing Schools for Human Rhythms
Dr. Alley is also the founder of xSELerated, a collaborative and professional learning program that supports educators in implementing integrated SEL leadership and instructional strategies. This initiative is built on the xSELeratED Schools Framework he designed—Understanding Self, Caring for Self, Understanding Others, Caring for Others, and Building a Better World.
His way of doing things is very practical.
“The way I work is first the adults and the programs know, I don’t ask the teachers to do ‘one more thing.’ I help them create a shared language, micro-habits, and social routines that reduce friction and increase the strength of relationships over time.”
One of his most advanced techniques is what he calls the seasonal cadence in school design.
“I also use the seasonal cadence as a design strategy: different times of the year require different types of care, reflection, and community building. That helps schools adapt to a person’s rhythm rather than forcing a constant outcome.”
Leadership Outside the Classroom
The leadership of Dr. Alley goes beyond his university role. He served nearly ten years as Executive Director of Maine ASCD, leading statewide and national efforts in curriculum and instructional leadership. During his tenure, the organization received a global award from ASCD, voted on by associate leaders in all 50 states and 128 countries, recognizing excellence in professional learning design.
Nationally, she serves on the advisory board of the Institute for Humane Education, where she contributes to Solutionary curriculum and leadership models based on ethics, empathy, and systems thinking.
He is also a featured contributor and incubator host with The Worthy Educator, a platform dedicated to advancing teacher well-being and purpose-driven practice.
To Dr. Alley, this work is ultimately about creating programs that value humanity as educational outcomes.
“One of the biggest challenges has been to reverse the idea that teachers’ lives and relationship work are ‘extras.’ In many programs, what can be measured is what matters, even if it is not what actually supports learning.”
A Message to Teachers on the Edge
For teachers who feel tired or disconnected from the work they loved, Dr. Alley offers a message that reframes burnout.
“First: you are not broken. Burnout is not a personal failure. It is often a predictable response to overload, stress, and insufficient support.”
His advice starts with honesty.
“If you’re feeling stuck, I want you to start by being honest about what drains you and what nourishes you, without judgment.”
He then encouraged teachers to start slow.
“Pick one small practice that you can sustain. That gives you back to your students and back to you. That could be a two-minute reset before the day starts, one reliable relationship-building routine, or one boundary that protects your energy.”
“Interest doesn’t always come back with inspiration; sometimes it comes back with safety, stability, and small wins.”
Stories that Empower the Next Generation
Besides his academic and consulting work, Dr. Alley is also an award-winning children’s author. His Shiny Friends Super Squad Social-Emotional Learning helps young readers explore emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness with characters related to storytelling.
The series has received national recognition, including multiple Northern Lights Book Awards, and Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and achieved #1 New Release and #1 Best Seller status on Amazon in the children’s categories related to mindfulness and peer pressure.
His extensive professional recognition includes serving as the Commencement Address speaker at the University of Maine at Machias and the Conference Master Speaker at the University of Maine at Augusta.
The Legacy of Humanity in Schools
When asked about the legacy he hopes to leave, Dr. Alley goes back to the core of human education.
“I want to leave a legacy of love and practice that makes the school feel human.”
“I want future teachers to inherit structures that protect their strengths, honor their struggles, and help them build cultures of courage.”
For students, his vision is equally powerful.
“I want a world where they are not only taught, but really known—where they learn to understand themselves, take care of themselves, understand others, take care of others, and build a better world.”
“If my work helps schools become places of healing, repair, and growth, and helps teachers stay in this work with heart and strength, then I will know that I have succeeded. For me, professionally, there is no greater fulfillment and joy.”
In a work that is often pressured by urgency and accountability, the work of Dr. Leigh Alley offers something both strong and necessary: a reminder that when schools prioritize relationships, humanity, and human well-being, learning naturally follows.
