About KAO: Our Founder

Mikelle Willis, Founder, KIPP Academy of Opportunity. Mikelle is currently the Director of New Site Development for the KIPP Foundation. KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in under-resourced communities throughout the United States. There are currently 66 locally-run KIPP schools in 17 states and Washington, DC, which are serving over 16,000 students. KIPP schools have been widely recognized for putting under-served students on the path to college. More than 80 percent of KIPP students are low-income and more than 95 percent are African American or Hispanic/Latino. Nationally, nearly 80 percent of KIPP alumni have matriculated to college.

In her current role with the KIPP Foundation, Mikelle is responsible for selecting and managing KIPP’s expansion in new communities. In addition, she supports existing and emerging KIPP Regions in developing and executing their growth plans.

Most recently, Mikelle founded KIPP Academy of Opportunity (KAO) in Los Angeles and served as its School Director. During her five years leading KAO, the founding class of students moved from the bottom third of test-takers nationwide to the top third in language and math, as measured by the SAT-10. The school as a whole showed consistent progress as well. In 2006, KAO scored 772 on the Academic Performance Index (API), a jump of 43 points from 2005. Based on the API score, KAO outperformed 89% of Los Angeles Unified School District middle schools and all neighboring middle schools.

Prior to selection as a KIPP school director, Mikelle was part of the administrative team in the Los Angeles office of Teach For America. Her responsibilities included the finance, communication, and administrative functions necessary to support Teach For America’s second largest region, with more than 200 corps members and a $1.5 million budget. Attracted to the mission of equal educational opportunity for all children, Mikelle initially joined Teach For America as a second grade teacher in Long Beach. In doing so, she left behind a career in the private sector as a Business Analyst for Southern California Edison in order to have a greater impact on society.

Mikelle earned her BS in Business Administration and a concentration in Accountancy from California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, CA, and her MA in Education from National Luis University in Chicago, IL. She holds her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Manhattan Beach, CA. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management.