Education Pioneers (EP) is proud to welcome Alyssa Morton (2015 Alum) to our Board of Directors. From her early experiences in an EP externship and Fellowship to her current role as CEO and Partner of Empower Schools, Alyssa’s journey exemplifies how EP cultivates a pipeline of high-impact, long-term educational leaders.
From Passion to Impact
Alyssa began her career at Bain & Company after graduating from the University of Virginia with a degree in Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law. While at Bain, she worked across sectors, but it was her education projects that sparked something deeper.
Seeking hands-on experience in education, Alyssa secured an externship with EP, supporting the launch of new regions in the South. “It was a crash course in education,” she said. “I got exposure to a variety of K–12 organizations and realized their work was so interesting—I wanted to be a part of it.”
That experience solidified her desire to pursue a career in education and inspired her to apply to Harvard Business School and the EP Fellowship.
As an EP Fellow, Alyssa worked on human capital initiatives with Crescent City Schools and FirstLine Schools in New Orleans. “The Fellowship allowed me to apply my Bain skills to real education work. It was a lot of fun and incredibly eye-opening,” she shared. “I learned what I enjoyed, what I didn’t, and came back to business school with much more clarity about what I wanted next in my career.”
That clarity—and the experience she gained through EP—helped set the stage for her next chapter. After returning to Harvard, Alyssa connected with Brett Alessi, a former EP staff member and co-founder of Empower Schools, who saw how her Fellowship experience would make her a strong addition to his team. He hired her shortly after graduation.
Alyssa joined Empower Schools in its early days, helping to shape the organization’s foundation as Manager of Strategic Growth. In 2018, she moved to Austin to lead Empower’s expansion into Texas, a role that deepened her connection to the region and positioned her as a key driver of Empower’s work locally. Today, Alyssa serves as CEO, guiding the organization’s strategy and impact from Austin, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Full Circle Leadership
Today, Empower partners with state and public school system leaders to incentivize and support innovative school models across 10 states, reaching more than one million students. Alyssa’s strategic leadership and deep understanding of education systems have been key to that growth, and now, she brings that expertise to EP’s Board.
“EP was the bridge that helped me turn a budding interest in education into a clear, purposeful career path. It gave me the exposure, network, and experiences that laid the foundation for the leadership journey I’m on today,” Alyssa shared. “I’m excited to help guide EP’s direction as it continues to grow and support the next generation leaders in the sector.”
Her story is a powerful example of the leadership EP exists to cultivate. We’re thrilled to welcome Alyssa to this expanded role as a Board Member and look forward to the impact she’ll help us make.
About our Alumni Network
After completing their Fellowship, EP Fellows join our vibrant Alumni network made up of more than 4,700 connected change makers at every level of educational leadership. Learn more about the impact of our Alumni network here.
