We are excited to welcome Michael A. Campbell, Ed.D. to the Barbershop Books Board of Directors.
Michael brings more than two decades of global leadership experience across business, education, and technology, with senior roles at Intel and Lenovo and deep expertise in scaling education-focused initiatives. He is the founder of Work Ready Partners, a firm that helps connect industry and education through advisory services and tools designed to improve workforce readiness and measurable outcomes.
Throughout his career, Michael has worked across North America, Asia, and emerging markets, building partnerships that bridge corporate, nonprofit, and academic spaces. His work consistently centers on one goal: creating systems that expand opportunity and scale impact. He currently serves on the board of the Last Mile Education Fund and on Podium Education’s Advisory Council, further reflecting his long-standing commitment to educational equity.
Michael’s connection to reading began early. One book in particular left a lasting impression.
“1984 was the first book that truly opened my eyes. I read it young, and it forced me to think about power, truth, and the responsibility we all have to think critically for ourselves. It showed me that books don’t just entertain, they shape how we see the world. That stayed with me.”
That belief strongly aligns with Barbershop Books’ focus on reading identity development and the idea that reading is not just a skill, but a way children understand themselves and their possibilities.
When asked what excites him most about joining the Barbershop Books board, Michael pointed to the organization’s community-centered approach.
“Barbershop Books reaches children where they already are and makes reading feel natural, joyful, and culturally grounded. That approach works. I’m excited to help scale a model that closes opportunity gaps through community, identity, and early engagement.”
For Michael, supporting children’s reading engagement is both personal and professional.
“Reading helped me understand the world and what I believed was possible for myself. Now, as a professional, I’m humbled to spend my career trying to expand opportunity for young people, and reading engagement is where that work starts. When children connect with books early, everything else becomes possible.”
We are honored to welcome Michael to the Barbershop Books community and look forward to the insight, leadership, and vision he brings as we continue building fun, affirming reading experiences for children across the country.
