Michael Nelson

Michael Nelson is an educational leadership coach and thought partner for the Instructional Leadership Collective, where he supports school and district leaders in strengthening collective leader efficacy and collaborative inquiry to improve student and adult learning. He is a past president of the Washington Association of School Administrators and has served as an award‑winning principal and superintendent, bringing extensive practical experience in K–12 leadership to his coaching and writing.

Nelson is the co‑author, with Peter M. DeWitt, of Leading With Intention: How School Leaders Can Unlock Deeper Collaboration and Drive Results (Corwin, 2024) and Lead Collectively: From Belief to Action to Impact (Corwin, 2025). These works offer frameworks, tools, and reflective guidance for educational leaders focused on self‑awareness, human interconnectedness, collective inquiry, and evidence‑based joint work to deepen collaboration and enhance the impact of leadership teams on teaching and learning.