PEL program coordinator Patrice Nelson’s life has been shaped by history, movement, and a deep belief in the power of education. Born aboard a Navy ship in Naples, Italy, she grew up a self-described “Navy brat,” moving across continents during the Cold War. These experiences instilled in her curiosity, appreciation for the different cultures and perspectives, and a sense of possibility.
“The world is an education,” she says. “I was in incredible places at incredible times.”
Her family’s story is one of transformation through learning. Her mother, a coal miner’s daughter, served in the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), and met her father, a young Navy pilot who was the son of a Missouri Depression-era dirt farmer, when they were both stationed at a Naval training base during WWII.
“Education and opportunity changed everything for them,” Patrice says. “And they passed that belief to me.”
Patrice Nelson with Roberta Kurlantzick (left) and Evette Avila (center)
At Smith College during a time of political unrest, Patrice experienced the campus shutting down after the Kent State shootings and Vietnam War protests. Originally a sociology major, she found her calling after teaching summer religious education in rural New Mexico—a pivotal experience that launched her career.
Patrice’s first classroom was in Albuquerque, where she taught 42 fifth graders, most from low-income families. Mentored by seasoned educators, she developed a passion for teaching language arts, math, and science. She went on to teach in public and private schools. Teaching at the Smith College Campus School played an especially important role in her educational development. There, as a classroom teacher and regular supervisor of student teachers, she learned the importance and value of carefully articulated and student-centered curriculum and classroom design. Her graduate studies at the University of Hartford—where she encountered systems thinking—along with her work at Partners (formerly the Center for School Change), sharpened her focus on equity, systemic improvement, and lasting change.
“If kids can get excited about learning, then you’ve created something powerful,” she says. “In the long run, what matters most is helping kids see what’s possible—and believing it’s possible for them.”
Hope, possibility, and advocacy are her guiding lights. She was fortunate to witness and participate in critical social and educational movements–the feminist revolution, the civil rights movement, anti-war demonstrations, educational reform and more reform. She began teaching when female teachers were just beginning to be able to wear pants in school, when the role of teachers was moving from “sage on the stage” to facilitator. In all of that, she always believed in speaking up—especially for children.
Patrice Nelson at PEL’s Real Impact network meeting
She feels fortunate—to have lived in extraordinary places, raised a family she’s proud of, and to have had opportunities in education and life that kept her evolving. She brings decades of experience in schooling and change, a steady moral compass, and a spirit of gratitude to her work at Partners. Because of this, Richard Lemons, executive director of PEL, affectionately refers to her as “Partners’ elder stateswoman.” He continues, “she brings a wealth of passion, experience and expertise that helps ground our work.”
“In education, I found something I love—working with kids, learning from mistakes, being part of something bigger than myself,” Patrice says. “There are two ways to look at life. You can say ‘I deserve it’ or you can say ‘I was fortunate.’ I was fortunate.”
You can reach Patrice at pnelson@partnersforel.org
