Dr. Tamala Boyd-Shaw

Tamala is an education advocate who believes teacher effectiveness is the great equalizer to providing students the basic civil right of a quality public school education. Tamala began her career in education in Jackson, MS, teaching English at Provine High School and now has 24 years of experience serving in roles that spanned the US. That experience brought her home to Mississippi in 2014 with a goal to positively impact the education landscape in our magnolia state.

Tamala earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Touglaoo College, a Master of Teaching degree from Jackson State University, and a Doctor of Education degree from The University of Memphis. Her leadership training for urban education is attributed to her participation in The Memphis Leadership Fellows Program (2005-2006). Additionally, she is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Memphis, a 2017 graduate of the Leadership Development Intensive class with New Memphis Institute, and member of the 2019 graduate of Leadership Greenwood.

Tamala believes in community service and does her share through civic associations. She is a Life Member (and Silver Star) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated where she currently serves as Vice-President of her chapter; she is an active member of the Mississippi Roses (MS) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated; she serves as President of the Mingling with Moms Provisional Group, and she is a recently inducted member of the Greenwood Rotary Club. Tamala is married to Eric J. Shaw and the mother of Eric Shaw, II (EJay) and a bonus daughter Emyah.

Currently, Tamala focuses on reimagining learning for students in rural areas to improve the number of college going and college graduating students as the Founder and Executive Director of MS Delta Academies, a non-profit education organization who recently received approval to launch the second in the MS Delta and the ninth in the state, charter school – Leflore Legacy Academy, which will open in Fall 2020 in Greenwood, MS. She considers this her dream opportunity to go back and give back to the place she calls home.