THE GPA CREW

MEET OUR FOUNDER

Dr. MARIAMA SHAHEED

The founder and head of school of Global Preparatory Academy, Indiana’s first Spanish immersion charter school which opened in August of 2016. Shaheed, who is bilingual, holds a Bachelors in Elementary Education, two masters degrees in both Educational Leadership and Business and aDoctorate in Organizational Leadership.

During her 27 year career as a teacher and administrator Shaheed has received numerous honors. She received the prestigious Milken National Educator Award, valued at $25,000 and known as the “Oscars” of teaching. She has since been named a Transformational Educator by Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI), and has received the Minority Achievement Award in Education from the Center for Leadership Development and was named a Trailblazing Woman by the National Association of Women Business Owners. In 2020, she was named a Diversity Champion for her work at Global Preparatory Academy.

Dr. Shaheed has committed herself to urban education and has spent her entire career working with students who have historically been underserved. Shaheed believes that all children deserve to be educated in a high quality school that enables them to compete on a global stage and the educators in front of students play a pivotal role in their success. As a mother of a teenage daughter, she believes that parents must partner with their child’s school to ensure that their children can reach their full potential.

When Dr. Shaheed is not in school, she enjoys international travel, hiking, outdoors sports and activities with her two dogs, teen daughter and husband.