The Alberta Teachers’ Association

ILLUSTRATION BY MIA CARNEVALE

Mary Michailides

Founding board member of the Zebra Child Protection Centre

International leadership consultant

Co-author of Instructional Talk Throughs: Powerful Assessment and Professional Practice

Speaker, coach and mentor

WHEN MARY MICHAILIDES began teaching in Alberta 39 years ago, she did not envision a role in leadership. Yet an unexpected turn in leadership led her to do something else unexpected: play a key role in the founding of the Zebra Child Protection Centre.

The first child advocacy centre (CAC) of its kind in Canada, Zebra was built around a collaborative model of service delivery in which the child who experienced abuse would come to one place and tell their story once, with a circle of support forming around that child. 

"Why is it called Zebra? Similar to zebra in the wild, when danger appears, adult zebras form a protective circle around their young. The Zebra Centre has been a gift to many children and youth!"

The genesis for Zebra came during Michailides’ first principalship when she had to contact the Edmonton Police Service after an elementary school student made a disclosure of abuse. The student was brave enough to share her story with Michailides, who immediately became an advocate for this student and for all children and youth experiencing abuse. 

Michailides emphasizes that Zebra was the result of a multidisciplinary force coming together. Since its inception in 2002, Zebra has made a meaningful difference for children and youth, and their families, in both navigating the criminal justice system and accessing critical supports. Alberta now has eight CACs and, 20 years after its founding, Zebra continues its work to foster shared responsibility for our children and youth. 

“Prevention of child abuse is everybody’s responsibility,” Michailides says.

Michailides credits collaborative relationships and mentors for the success of her advocacy efforts and of her work in education. With such encouragement, she stepped into leadership roles, including principal, assistant superintendent and education manager for Alberta Education, and international leadership consultant. She now pays this support forward, building up colleagues and sparking visionary thinking. 

Although she has made her mark, Michailides isn’t done. Still involved with Zebra and in the education sphere, she recently co-authored a book on instructional leadership and is also involved in Step Up Stop Slavery, a non-profit organization aiming to end modern slavery and human trafficking. 

Got an idea? Unsung Hero is a space dedicated to honouring ATA members past and present who have had notable achievements, either in the ATA or in their private lives.

If you know of a member whom you feel should be recognized, please contact section editor Lindsay Yakimyshyn at lindsay.yakimyshyn@ata.ab.ca.