Dr. Ashelin R. Currie is a literacy advocate, consultant, and leader who strives to make the world a better place through working with and motivating others to learn, grow, and be passionate about reading and writing. Ashelin impacts literacy and learning by supporting school district leaders, literacy coaches, and teachers.  She supports districts in the implementation of systems to build teachers’ capacity to deliver effective and appropriate literacy instruction to all students.  Her innovative practices support national, state, and local standards while fulfilling the vision and mission of the individual schools. Ashelin’s area of expertise is utilizing African American children’s literature as an aesthetic and intellectual tool for growing students and improving their academic achievement.

Prior to working with Oakland Schools, Ashelin served for seventeen years teaching students in a low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse community. She was a general education teacher for six years, an elementary reading specialist for seven years, and a literacy coach and Multi-Tiered Support Systems coordinator.  In addition to her work at the elementary and middle school level, she has taught courses at Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, and Mott Community College.

Ashelin obtained her doctorate in Reading and Language Arts with a concentration in emergent literacy from Oakland University in Michigan.  She earned her Master of Arts in Reading Education degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University in North Carolina.  Ashelin also earned National Board Teacher Certification in the area of Early and Middle Childhood/Literacy: Reading Language Arts.

Today, Ashelin not only serves as a literacy consultant but her influence extends to children and parents in the community.  Ashelin is the president of the Detroit Affiliate of the National Black Child Development Institute. She works extensively with children and families and other community organizations to implement systems to improve the academic lives of students beyond the school.