Angela Gaddie-Edwards

Angela Gaddie-Edwards is a retired elementary school principal, educational leader, and certified Christian life coach whose career has been defined by a deep commitment to student success, educator development, and community service. She dedicated 31 years to The School District of Philadelphia, serving as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and ultimately principal for 26 years. Throughout her career, she championed standards-based instruction, teacher mentorship, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative leadership while fostering inclusive learning environments for students from Pre-K through eighth grade. Her academic preparation includes a bachelor's degree from Temple University, a master's degree in education from Arcadia University, and advanced leadership training through the National Principals Academy Fellowship at Relay Graduate School of Education.

As an educational leader, Angela was recognized for her ability to strengthen instructional programs, cultivate leadership capacity among faculty, and build meaningful partnerships with families, universities, businesses, and community organizations. She led comprehensive school improvement initiatives, managed school operations and budgets, oversaw professional development programs, and supported the implementation of differentiated instruction and special education compliance. Earlier in her career, she played an instrumental role in mentoring new teachers, designing induction and professional development programs, and introducing innovative teaching practices that promoted literacy, multicultural education, technology integration, and student-centered learning.

Following her retirement, Angela has embraced a new mission inspired by personal loss. After losing her daughter during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her sister co-founded a foundation dedicated to honoring her daughter's legacy by inspiring, uniting, and educating communities through the arts while promoting empathy and social awareness. As a certified Christian life coach and certified Christian loss and grief counselor, Angela now provides coaching, grief support, and spiritual guidance to women and families navigating loss. Through her foundation, scholarship initiatives, church ministries, and advocacy work, she continues her lifelong commitment to empowering others—demonstrating that compassion, faith, and education can create meaningful pathways toward healing and hope.