Maddie Shepard

Maddie grew up in Northern Kentucky, graduating at the top of her class from Dixie Heights High School.  Maddie went on to major in Elementary Education and minor in English at the University of Kentucky.  Maddie graduated from the University of Kentucky with honors in 2013.  After attaining her bachelor’s degree, Maddie moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and began teaching 5th grade in Shelby County, Kentucky.  Maddie taught 4th and 5th grade at Southside Elementary for two years before developing one of Kentucky’s first personalized learning pilots at Southside Elementary.  Maddie taught 2nd-5th grade students in an innovative learning model, built around giving students more agency, voice, and ownership of their learning and school experience.  In the same year, Maddie was asked to join the team at Magnify Learning, an Indiana based “Project Based Learning” organization.  As a facilitator for Magnify Learning, Maddie trained teachers and school leaders alike in project based learning.  In 2017 Maddie joined the Deeper Learning team in Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky.  Shortly after Maddie graduated from Indiana University with a Master’s degree in Education Leadership, and a certificate in Education Law.  Maddie began working with districts and schools across Kentucky to train teachers in Project Based Learning.  Maddie has presented to educators locally, and at the national and international levels.

In 2018 Maddie became increasingly involved in advocacy work; advocating on behalf of students and teachers both at the local and state level.  Maddie was elected as a regional and national delegate to the Kentucky Educator’s Association and National Educator’s Association, respectively.  In September of 2018 Maddie was elected President of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies, an organization comprised of educators and advocates for the Social Studies.  Maddie works with the council and the organization’s partners to bring about legislation that empowers teachers and students to be an informed and engaged citizenry, as well as collaboratively developing educational resources and procuring Social Studies networks across the state.  In the following year Maddie was elected to the Jefferson County Teacher’s Association Board of Directors.  Maddie has just begun work on 2019 gubernatorial campaigns, organizing events and managing communications between candidates and constituents.  Maddie is very excited to continue her learning, joining some of Kentucky’s most influential women in the Emerge Class of 2019.