Nate Phipps
Location
Room 1033
610 E. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1259
Nate Phipps is the managing director of the Marsal Family School of Education’s Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER). In his role, he oversees all of CEDER’s design, evaluation, and educational programs, including fielding requests for new projects, collaborating with project and program leads, and supporting projects throughout their lifecycle. He oversees CEDER’s program offerings, including the Sustainability Teacher Fellowship (2018-present), Bosch Eco and STEM Teacher (BEST) Grant Program (2017-2024), and the student edtech innovation competition, the James A. Kelly Learning Lever Prize Program. Nate works with CEDER colleagues to set the vision for CEDER’s work and to ensure CEDER is a thriving, positive organization.
Nate was drawn to the field of education because he believes it is the most important tool we have to promote equity and justice. He has a background in K-12 education, and worked as a high school social studies and ESL teacher in Boston prior to joining U-M. Before teaching, he supported educators as a program coordinator at the national education resource nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves.
At the Marsal School, Nate is active in serving and building community. He has served as a member of the Staff Development Committee, where he has led efforts to engage with the topics of positive leadership, “deep work,” focus, and work-life balance. In 2020, he helped co-found the school’s Green Team, which seeks to inspire and empower the Marsal School community to contribute to a more sustainable world by reducing waste, conserving energy, and connecting issues of sustainability and justice. He is a former M-Healthy Champion (2024-2026), a member of the Marsal School’s Wellness Committee, and a current member of the campus-wide Well-being Collective’s Staff Well-being Network.
His efforts have been recognized with several staff awards from the Marsal School, including the highest staff honor, the Pat Natalie Award for Staff Excellence. He also received the Advocate and Curator of a More Inclusive Environment (2017, 2026), Staff Community Building (2024, 2026), Collaborator Across Organizational Boundaries (2019, 2026), and Strong Work Ethic and Commitment (2023). He serves on the Board of Common Cycle, Ann Arbor’s bike co-op, and co-founded the Bicycle Alliance of Washtenaw, where he brings together his interests in community, sustainability, education, and the joys of cycling and the outdoors.