Dr. Chanel Hampton

Dr. Chanel Hampton serves as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Community Partners (SCP). In 2015, Chanel launched SCP with a vision of pairing excellent strategy and execution with unapologetic community and cultural context. SCP works with organizations by advising, designing, and managing projects and initiatives that advance equity with and for communities. SCP works with a robust array of partners, including Detroit Public Schools Community District, The Skillman Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Washington, D.C.’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education, WEPOWER St. Louis, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and The Obama Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Ballmer Group and numerous other community-based organizations and leaders. In addition to partnerships, SCP houses equity initiatives–including local and national fellowships, incubators and accelerators to support and uplift healthy leaders and healthy organizations. SCP also operates a community center and co-working space in Detroit’s Fitzgerald neighborhood, in addition to offices in Atlanta, New Jersey, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Prior to founding SCP, Chanel began her traditional career as a middle school teacher, where her passion for larger systemic change in the education system grew. Particularly moved by the need for diverse teacher talent and equitably operating organizations, Chanel began her work in administration and later joined Teach for America’s National Recruitment Team. Founding and leading national diversity initiatives, Chanel served as a national recruitment team executive and also worked with the organization’s 52 regions as a strategic advisor and partner–resulting in unprecedented community engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and progress with communities across the country. Chanel also led several additional organization-wide initiatives and partnerships, including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference.

During her career, Chanel has also served as a central office executive in public school systems, including Detroit Public Schools; and worked with departments of education, including the Michigan Department of Education, and government agencies to ensure equitable practices.

Chanel holds a bachelor’s degree in African-American studies, psychology, and sociocultural anthropology along with two master’s degrees in secondary education and education administration. Building upon her experience in equitable change-making, Chanel earned a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Creighton University.

Chanel’s lifelong passions for Detroit, justice, education, and equity drive her personally and professionally and motivate her to continue, as well as expand.

A former classroom teacher and assistant professor of teacher education, she works for the Michigan Department of Education, where she supports universities in developing rigorous, innovative teacher preparation programs and works on projects related to diversifying the teaching workforce to support education equity.

She serves on the boards of the Black Male Educators Alliance of Michigan and the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. She is a member of the Detroit Parent Network, the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, and the coordinating council of 313Reads.

She is the proud mother of a son who attends elementary school in Detroit.