Leadership in Youth, Education, and Community

Helping children, youth, educators, families, and communities learn, grow, and thrive together.

Shelley Steele, MEd, ACC

ICF ACC-Credentialed Executive & Life Coach | Educator | Speaker

For more than 35 years, Shelley Steele has worked with children, youth, educators, families, and communities in Ontario, across Canada, and internationally to create learning experiences that build confidence, belonging, leadership, and hope.

Her work has taken her into public schools, colleges, community organizations, priority neighbourhoods, First Nations communities, and one-to-one coaching conversations. In every setting, Shelley has brought the same approach:

listen closely, understand what people are carrying, and create something useful, respectful, and real.

Shelley has worked as an educator, director/producer, curriculum developer, professor, coach, speaker, and community leader. Across those roles, her focus has remained consistent: helping people discover their strengths, find their voice, and move forward in ways that matter.

Youth Leadership & Community Engagement

Shelley has spent much of her career creating opportunities for young people to grow in confidence, leadership, and belonging. Here are some highlights.

Give Your School a Hug
(later, Embrace Your School)

Created a student engagement initiative in partnership with the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, engaging more than 3,000 students across Ontario—and later South Africa—to strengthen student leadership, school belonging, and positive school culture.

In partnership with

Get Reel

Developed and led this youth leadership initiative with Toronto Community Housing, engaging young women from three Toronto priority neighbourhoods in a ten-week experience combining mentoring, storytelling, leadership development, media production, and community engagement.

In partnership with

Moving Forward Together

Instructor supporting teen mothers in completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma while building confidence, parenting knowledge, and life skills.

Words on Work (WOW) 

Project Lead for The Learning Partnership, connecting students with women working in traditional and non-traditional careers through school presentations and national educational webcasts.

In partnership with

Student Leadership Initiatives

Partnered with school boards and First Nations school authorities across Ontario, using educational storytelling to strengthen youth leadership, student voice, school belonging, and meaningful conversations

In partnership with

Curriculum, Teaching, & Learning Design

Shelley has designed learning experiences that support growth in school, work, and life, including these notable initiatives:

Halton District School Board

and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board

Business Studies and Co-operative Education teacher, helping students connect classroom learning with future education, careers, and life opportunities.

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto

Instructor supporting teacher education and professional learning.

Centennial College

Professor teaching Inclusive Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Healthy Lifestyle Management, and Global Citizenship.

Curriculum redevelopment and online course design

Led redevelopment while developing a business credential supporting incarcerated youth preparing for successful community reintegration.

Director, Producer, Host

Produced and directed educational television programming and learning resources to support children, youth, educators, and families across Ontario.

Educational Storytelling, Listening & Community Engagement

For more than 15 years, Shelley has used educational storytelling to help schools and communities understand lived experience, inspiring them to action, and preparing students for success in school, work, and life.

Listened to hundreds of children, youth, educators, families, Elders, and community leaders, whose experiences shaped the educational resources, workshops, and community learning initiatives she developed.

Supported the national Shannen's Dream campaign, advocating for equitable education for First Nations children.

Worked alongside First Nations communities and organizations across Ontario, collaborating with children, youth, Elders, educators, and community leaders to support educational initiatives focused on Indigenous history, reconciliation, educational equity, and community resilience.

Contributed to the Stories of Reconciliation educational series, including Stories of Reconciliation, Landscape of Nations: A Story of Reconciliation, and Where Are the Hallways?

Produced and directed Rethinking ADHD in collaboration with SickKids and TVOntario to increase awareness and understanding of ADHD in schools.

In collaboration with

The Work Continues

Current Practice

Today, Shelley continues this work through coaching, mentoring, leadership development, speaking, lifelong learning, and the creation of new educational resources.

Helping people find their voice. Helping others learn by listening to it. Bringing out the best in themselves and others.

• Current offerings, including the RAYS™ approach have been designed from inception with the needs of youth in mind.

• Life Architect™ and Essential Mentor™ courses can be adapted for youth cohorts.

• As an experienced professor and ICF-certified coach, Shelley also offers professional coaching specifically tailored to the needs of youth and students.