Dr. Ellen Dooley engages students in hands-on learning while cultivating critical thinkers who are curious about the world around them. Across multiple disciplines at Milken Community School (MCS), including modern world/Jewish history, U.S. history, and art history, she promotes high expectations, meaningful challenges, and an unwavering belief that all students can succeed.
Dooley fosters excellence through rigorous, innovative, student-led lessons that enable all to reach their potential. She revitalized MCS’ AP art history program by incorporating guest lectures from university art historians and organizing visits to museums and exhibitions. As a result, many students have expressed interest in pursuing art history in college, and former students clamor to enroll in her upper-grade classes.
As social science instructional leader and Milken Scholars coordinator, Dooley is respected by students and colleagues alike. She helps refine curriculum, lesson plans and assessments for teaching teams and opens her classroom for observation and learning. MCS benefits from her contributions on the Faculty Advisory Committee, Machloket (Constructive Debate) Committee, the Faculty Integration Fellowship, the California Association of Independent Schools Accreditation Steering Committee, and the AI Task Force. Dooley also led the development of MCS’ Center for Advanced Global Studies, a new curriculum that connects the classroom to real-world global and Jewish contexts—strengthening inquiry, collaboration and identity.
Beyond MCS, Dooley has mentored students at various schools as a writing coach and supported teenage mothers pursuing high school diplomas. She also served as assistant curator of Latin American art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and as a volunteer instructor with the Prison University Project (now Mount Tamalpais College) at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. She continues this commitment to justice-centered education at MCS as faculty advisor to Yozma (or “initiative” in Hebrew), the school’s social action initiative.
Dooley earned her Bachelor of Arts in art history and religion from Trinity University in 2008, and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in art history from the University of Southern California in 2010 and 2015, respectively.
Press Release: Surprise! Los Angeles Teacher Celebrated with National Milken Educator Award
