Michele M. Rivers Murphy

Michele M. Rivers Murphy, EdD, is an educational leader and consultant specializing in heart-centered learning, mindfulness, and trauma-informed school improvement. She serves as Associate Director of Heart Centered Learning at the Center for Educational Improvement and has worked for more than two decades to help transform high‑needs neighborhoods and school districts by improving student engagement, school culture, and academic success. Her organizational research focuses on the impact of childhood trauma and stress on teaching and learning.

Rivers Murphy is co‑author of Mindful School Communities: The Five Cs of Nurturing Heart Centered Learning and Mindfulness Practices: Cultivating Heart Centered Communities Where Students Focus and Flourish, both with Christine Mason and colleagues, as well as co‑developer and co‑author of The School Compassionate Culture Analytical Tool for Educators (S‑CCATE). She is also a co‑author of Cultivating Happiness, Resilience, and Well‑Being Through Meditation, Mindfulness, and Movement: A Guide for Educators. Rivers Murphy holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership (K–12) from Northeastern University and multiple certifications in both regular and special education.