Her Story
About Natalee
Natalee P. Starkes is an educational leader whose work is grounded in the belief that effective leadership should make people feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. She currently serves as an Assistant Principal at a K–8 school, where she provides administrative leadership for the elementary program and supports more than 280 students and 45 staff members.
Natalee began her career in the classroom, teaching first and fourth grades before advancing into teacher leadership, curriculum development, and school administration. Today, her leadership spans instructional coaching, professional learning communities, student support systems, schoolwide testing, staff development, and school culture. She is known for creating practical, sustainable systems that turn ideas into measurable results.
During her administrative tenure, Natalee helped lead efforts that contributed to substantial gains in English language arts and mathematics proficiency, as well as a 48% reduction in out-of-school suspensions. She also co-leads L.I.V.E., a schoolwide initiative built around four commitments: Lead, Inspire, Value, and Empower. Through this work, she has helped strengthen students’ sense of belonging, pride, and ownership within their school community.
Natalee earned her master’s degree in educational leadership in 2022. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Natalee is a woman of faith, a wife, and a mother. Her experiences have deepened her resilience, strengthened her purpose, and reinforced her commitment to leading with both courage and compassion. She attributes her success to God, the support of her family, and the determination to keep moving forward, especially when the work is difficult.
Natalee’s influence is rooted not only in what she accomplishes, but in how she challenges systems, advocates for others, and creates space for people to lead authentically. Her message to other women is simple: Be yourself, stand firmly in who you are, and never shrink to fit someone else’s definition of leadership.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Natalee
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success first to God. My faith has carried me through seasons when I could not see the full plan but trusted that I was still being guided and covered. I am also deeply grateful for my family, whose love, sacrifices, and support keep me grounded and remind me why I continue to push forward.
Finally, I attribute my success to determination. I am willing to work, learn, start again, and keep going even when the path is difficult or the recognition does not come immediately. God gave me the purpose, my family gives me strength, and determination keeps me moving.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to never shrink myself to make others more comfortable. I can remain teachable, receive feedback, and continue growing without losing the authenticity, directness, and conviction that make me who I am. Leadership does not require becoming someone else. It requires knowing who you are, standing firmly in your values, and allowing your work and results to speak for themselves.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be YOU, fully and unapologetically. Do not shrink yourself to fit someone else’s definition of what a leader should look, sound, or act like. Your authenticity is not something you must sacrifice to be respected.
Stand firmly in what you know, remain humble enough to keep learning, and never confuse being direct with being difficult. Speak up, ask questions, advocate for what is right, and trust that your voice belongs in every room you have earned your way into. You do not have to become someone else to lead effectively. The very things that make you different may be exactly what make you influential.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest challenges in education right now is meeting increasingly complex student needs while educators are also navigating burnout, limited resources, staffing shortages, and growing expectations. Schools are being asked to address academic achievement, behavior, mental health, attendance, safety, and family engagement, often without the time or support necessary to do each of those things well. We must also confront inequities in access, opportunity, and discipline that continue to disproportionately affect historically underserved students.
At the same time, this creates an incredible opportunity to rethink how schools operate. We can build stronger systems that prioritize early intervention, use data without losing sight of the whole child, support teachers more intentionally, and give students and families a meaningful voice. I believe the future of education depends on courageous leaders who are willing to challenge practices simply maintained because “that is how we have always done it” and replace them with approaches that are more equitable, responsive, and effective.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, authenticity, equity, accountability, and compassion. I believe people deserve honesty, consistency, and the freedom to show up as their full selves. In my work, that means making decisions based on what is right for students, even when it is difficult, and creating spaces where every person feels seen, valued, supported, and empowered.
In both my professional and personal life, I value being accountable for my impact, not just my intentions. I believe strong relationships require direct communication, mutual respect, grace, and a willingness to grow. My faith and family keep me grounded and remind me that leadership is ultimately about service. I want the people around me to feel stronger, more confident, and more capable because I was present.
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