Betsy Okello

Betsy Ferrer Okello is a member of the teaching and learning team for the Notre Dame ACE Academies, a faculty member in the Mary Ann Remick Leadership program, and a core team member of the Center for Literacy Education. Prior to this role, Betsy served as the regional director of school culture for the Notre Dame ACE Academies in Orlando. Betsy has previously served as the associate superintendent for curriculum and staff development for the Archdiocese of New York. In her prior academic work, Betsy was a visiting assistant professor in the first year writing program at James Madison College at Michigan State University (MSU). Betsy earned her Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching, and educational oolicy at MSU, and her scholarly interests center on the role that the arts play in youth identity development, empowerment, and literacy learning, and how Catholic school leaders can lead literacy to improve student outcomes and build a positive school culture. Betsy’s previous degrees are in anthropology and sociology (B.A. University of Notre Dame), social science (M.A. University of Chicago), education (M.Ed. University of Notre Dame), and educational administration (M.A. University of Notre Dame). Betsy taught middle and high school English for eight years, undergraduate and graduate courses in English methods, and co-led study abroad programs in Tanzania and Kenya.