Dr. Michellea Millis Rucker Scholar-Activist, Transformational Leader, Improvement Scientist, Certified Leaderologist, & Edupreneur Dr. Michellea “Redbird” Millis Rucker is an accomplished educator, researcher, and transformational "bridger" with over 27 years of experience spanning K-12 instruction, institutional leadership, and equity coaching. As a self-described "scholar-activist," she sits at the intersection of improvement science and leadership development, focusing on how systemic re-engineering and targeted self-reflection can dismantle institutional disparities. Dr. Rucker specializes in Participatory Action Research (PAR) and translative research models, actively bridging the gap between academic theory and community-based practice. This commitment to equitable, data-driven transformation led her to found BrownSTEM, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating innovative learning spaces that narrow national disparities for minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine (STEMM).