About
Grounded in story.
Built for leadership.
Martha St. Jean
Leadership begins with the story people tell about you.
Martha St. Jean is an educational leader, speaker, and consultant based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the founder of The St. Jean Studio, where she designs leadership experiences that help individuals and organizations lead with clarity, purpose, and confidence.
Her work draws on more than a decade of experience leading in New York City schools — as a middle school director, dean, and special educator — and as a Senior Program Manager at iMentor, a national nonprofit focused on college access and career development through mentoring and leadership development.
Across every role, her practice has centered on building transformational learning environments rooted in relationships, reflection, and purpose. She deeply believes in the power of education as a practice of leadership, and in creating spaces where people can learn, reflect, and lead with intention.
Martha serves as a governing board member for America Needs You, an organization committed to helping first-generation college students develop the leadership skills and career pathways they need to thrive.
Let's ConnectEducation
Four graduate degrees.
One through-line: leadership in service of others.
Bank Street College of Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
New York University
Career
The experience that shapes the work.
Leadership development workshops, retreat facilitation, strategic planning, coaching, and curriculum design for education, nonprofit, corporate, and government clients.
Led a division of 228 students and 40 faculty. Developed signature programs including Leadership as Legacy (created in partnership with Grace Farms) and an Alabama Civil Rights Immersion Trip.
Supported first-generation college students through mentoring and leadership development, working at the intersection of college access, career readiness, and relational practice.
Began her career working with students in Brooklyn's public school system, developing the relational and instructional foundations that ground all of her work today.
Affiliations & Boards
Committed to community
beyond the classroom.
Martha's work extends well beyond individual engagements. She serves on governing boards, advises organizations, and maintains longstanding relationships with communities whose missions she shares.
Advisor and governing board member, supporting first-generation college students in developing leadership skills and establishing career pathways.
Longstanding professional development partner for math educators across New York City.
Leadership development partner for school and district leaders in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, working across equity, culture, and instructional leadership.
Martha has served in senior leadership roles in New York City schools, including as a middle school director, dean, and special educator. She has led interdisciplinary initiatives that connect leadership development, curriculum design, and student experience. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Senior Program Manager at a national nonprofit focused on supporting students through college and into meaningful careers through mentoring and leadership development. Across roles, her work has consistently centered on building transformational learning environments rooted in relationships, reflection, and purpose.
She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College of Education and a master’s degree in Secondary Inclusive Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also earned a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a Bachelor of Science in Media and Communication Studies from New York University.
Martha serves as an advisor and governing board member for America Needs You, supporting first-generation college students in developing leadership skills and establishing career pathways. She deeply believes in the power of education as a practice of leadership and in creating spaces where people can learn, reflect, and lead with intention.