Michelle Abrahamson Robell
Michelle Abrahamson Robell
First Grade Teacher | Palo Alto Unified School District
Always driven by a deep-rooted sense of purpose and meaning in life, Michelle Abrahamson Robell earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kent State University and a master’s in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of New Haven in the early 1990s. After spending some time in the corporate world, she aspired for something more and bolstered her credentials with teaching certification. She launched her career at Mountain View Whisman School District in 1998 before becoming a first-grade teacher at Walter Hays Elementary School within the Palo Alto Unified School District in 2000, where she continues to excel. Teaching all subjects in the classroom, she always strives to identify each student’s goals and the shared goals of everyone, using these as the foundation each day; she considers the connection she’s established with her students and being at the forefront of learning how to read to be her greatest joy.
One of the major reasons Ms. Robell shifted gears in her professional path from executive compensation to teaching was that she sought an opportunity where her daily life matters and is significant to other people more than just herself. During her time in the corporate world, she realized that—in the end—the number of reports she wrote would not really matter; she wanted to prioritize bettering people’s lives, which, to this day, plays a significant role in who she is as an individual and a professional. In the mid-90s, in the midst of her corporate career, she volunteered for the Stanford Emergency Room, where she returned to from 2008 to 2020. In addition to her primary role as a teacher, she lends her passion and expertise to several math adoption committees, the Science Adoption Curriculum Committee within the school district, and other committees annually.
Motivated by her motto of “Purpose. Meaning. Peace,” Ms. Robell is currently pursuing new skills and outreaches and remains a strong champion for supporting students with diverse goals, needs, and challenges. She believes that “success is not about what you do, but about who you are.” Looking toward the future, she hopes to take on a more active role within the school district as an educational leader, as well as mentor new teachers and engage in other areas of education post-retirement. Although she paused her volunteer work during the pandemic, she wishes to resume it in the next three to five years.
Press Release
Michelle D. Abrahamson Robell Featured in the December 2023/January 2024 Issue of Forbes Magazine
Michelle D. Abrahamson Robell shared her professional achievements and industry expertise in Forbes magazine
PALO ALTO, CA, March 05, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Michelle D. Abrahamson Robell, first-grade teacher with the Palo Alto Unified School District, was selected by Marquis Who’s Who for a prominent feature in the San Francisco, California, regional edition of Forbes magazine.
Hailing from 25 years of teaching, Michelle Robell has found success as a first-grade teacher at Walter Hays Elementary School, part of the Palo Alto Unified School District, since 2000. She has simultaneously contributed to several district math and science curriculum committees throughout her career. Ms. Robell taught at Monta Loma Elementary School, part of the Mountain View Whisman School District, from 1998 to 2000. During this time, she specialized in gifted and talented education. The Monta Loma site council presented her the first Monta Loma Spirit Award.
Ms. Robell’s journey began at Kent State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology summa cum laude. While at Kent State, she taught supplemental classes for an introduction to psychology course as an adjunct instructor during her senior year. She went on to the University of New Haven, earning a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology. Ms. Robell then drove from New York City to California without a job to start her corporate career journey. Her first position as a compensation analyst with Xerox Engineering Systems led to an executive compensation consulting position with the global management consulting firm Hewitt Associates, later known as Hewitt Aon.
After many years consulting and becoming a lightbulb leader for executive perquisites, Ms. Robell decided to follow her purpose to teach elementary school to exert a tangible impact on the lives of others. She earned her teaching credential from the Benard School of Education at the University of the Pacific. She is grateful for all the corporate experiences and consulting skills she learned and has applied inside and outside the classroom.
Additionally, Ms. Robell volunteered at the Stanford Hospital Emergency Department from 2008 to 2020, providing comfort visits to patients and families. Further, she trained volunteers to provide comfort visits during this time.
In accounting for her success, Ms. Robell largely credits her deep-rooted sense of purpose and desire to live with meaning and gratitude. In this respect, she has long lived by her personal motto: “Purpose. Meaning. Peace.” To her, success is a continuum and combination of quantitative measures and internal milestones, such as listening more than talking while having resilience, optimism, and setting goals. She is grateful for all the mentors along the way, including professors, managers, principals, teachers, classroom parents, and the students themselves. She remains humble as she acknowledges the amazing contributions of everyone around her.
In the future, Ms. Robell aspires to mentor student teachers and is open to speaking about courage, resilience and purpose.
While studying at Kent State University, Ms. Robell earned the Frederick E. Davidson Psychology Award, a Superior Scholarship Award, and the Alpha Lambda Delta Senior Award, among many other accolades.
