Eldridge Gilbert III — but you can call him El — is the kind of leader schools wish they had on speed dial.
A Brown grad with degrees in Africana Studies and Psychology, El kicked off his career with Teach For America in Houston before stacking an MBA from Rice on top of it. Then he went big: founding YES Prep North Forest, a 6–12th grade school serving 850 students — and actually delivering on the promise of what great schools should look like.
After six years as Principal, he scaled his impact again, heading to the Bay Area as Managing Director of Schools for KIPP. There, he coached, evaluated, and supported eight principals across one of the most demanding regions in the country.
Today, he’s in Brooklyn as the Chief Schools Officer for Coney Island Prep — shaping schools, leaders, and systems with the clarity and calm confidence of someone who’s done the work at every level.
El isn’t just a systems leader.
He’s a coach’s coach.
Since 2016, he’s coached leaders across education, law, healthcare — you name it. He’s obsessive about helping people find their own answers, not handing them pre-packaged ones. His superpower? Asking the questions that cut through the noise and get people unstuck.
With nearly a decade of experience speaking on values, leadership development, and DEI, plus credentials as a Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, El brings both depth and heart to every room he walks into.
When he’s not transforming leaders, you’ll find him running, biking, reading, or hanging with his family — especially his nephew Jake, who already thinks Uncle El is the coolest person alive.