Greetings, I’m Shanté Brown Major—wife, mom, operations strategist, project leader, and founder of Making Great Education Happen™.

For over 20 years, I’ve worked in and around schools, in the roles that often operate behind the scenes, but keep things moving. I’ve led major cross-campus initiatives, managed teams across operations, communications, technology, and facilities, partnered with boards and senior leaders, and coordinated everything from international conferences to school mergers to development initiatives and fundraisers. I’ve served in PK-12 schools, global nonprofits, corporate L&D settings, and just about everywhere in between. If it involved planning, systems, or turning vision into action, I’ve likely been in the room.

But along the way, I kept seeing the same thing: the people doing essential work in academic operations were holding up entire school systems, yet they were rarely being invested in.

These professionals were often expected to “just figure it out,” without the kind of leadership development or strategic support typically offered to those in instructional or executive roles. The function of academic operations was recognized enough to be staffed, but not deeply understood or nurtured in a way that allowed the role, and the people in it, to thrive.

These roles were acknowledged in theory, but not always supported in practice. The result? Instructional planning and operational implementation often existed in silos—leading to misalignment, delays, and burnout. I’ve seen it time and again: a new chemistry course is approved, but the facilities team isn’t looped in, inventory is delayed, and the initiative falters—not because it lacked vision, but because instruction and operations weren’t speaking the same language. Without strong systems, even the most powerful educational vision can start to wobble.

That’s what led me to create Making Great Education Happen™.

This work is grounded in the I.S.I.E.E.™ Method I developed: Identify, Strategize, Implement, Engage, and Evaluate. It’s a practical, action-focused approach to building systems that support long-term success. Through tools, training, consulting, and speaking, I help schools strengthen their operational core so that educators can lead, students can thrive, and the mission can move forward with clarity and excellence.

Today, I serve as an Operations Lead for an international NGO that builds schools in war-impacted regions. And I remain committed to championing the people and practices that keep educational institutions strong from the inside out.

Because here’s what I believe: when we invest in the function of academic operations—and in the people who carry it—great education won’t just happen by chance. It will happen with intention.

Let’s build it, together. Let’s Make Great Education Happen™.