My Bio

Steven Birkeland, born Steven Matthew Birkeland on May 14, 1972 in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York at Southside Hospital to Diane and Steve Birkeland of Bayport, Long Island, New York.

Steven attended Academy Street Elementary school from 1977 to 1983 where he excelled in his leadership abilities at an early age. During the kindergarten show he was the ring leader and master of ceremonies.

Steven attended James Wilson Young Middle School, in Bayport, Long Island, New York from 1983-1986 and proved to be a leader among his peers on stage, with his musical abilities and also socially.

Steven attended Bayport-Blue Poing High School, Bayport, Long Island, New York from 1986-1990. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class, a class of 156. He continued to aspire to leadership roles including president of the Key Club during his junior and senior years.

Steven attended the Catholic University of America for one year, 1990-1991, and then returned to his native New York to graduate from Manhattan College in 1994 with a Communications Degree and a Bachelor of Arts with honors. Steven was invited into the Honor Society and was also the president of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Honor Society during his senior year. During all three years at Manhattan College, Steven also worked as an opening store manager, assistant store manager at Banana Republic locations around the metropolitan New York area.

During the years from 1994-2003, Steven travelled, held various jobs in retail and in the service industry. Steven worked at East Hampton Point Resort in East Hampton for two years before returning to his love of education.

In August of 2003, Steven began his journey in education as a leader in his group at Long Island University, C.W. Post while studying school counseling. Steven quickly got to work networking with students and faculty to promote the industry and create a hum in education about the need for more school counselors across the nation. Steven worked as a guidance intern in the Sayville Middle School as well as the Counseling Center at Babylon Junior-Senior High School before graduating in January of 2006 with his master of science degree in School Counseling.

Steven currently works as a school counselor in the South Bronx at P.S. / M.S. 31 for the New York City Department of Education. Steven holds permanent certification in the area of school counseling.

In the fall of 2008, Steven was awarded a scholarship to attend Bank Street College of Education to pursue an advanced masters degree in Leadership for Educational Change: Focus on Special Education. During his first semester on campus, Steven distinguished himself as a leader among his peers. He organized a group from his cohort to attend a three day learning lab at Harvard College, Graduate School of Education in April of 2009. Following the learning lab, Steven took his district leadership test and is certified to become a district leader.

In the fall of 2009, Steven was elected the President of the Council of Students at Bank Street College. This post is a first for the college and Steven is the first President to be elected and provide the voice of the students at the college.

Steven's endeavours including attaining a Doctor of Education from Harvard College in their new Ed.L.D. program beginning in the fall of 2010. Steven hopes to be one of the members of the first cohort to go through the program. A collaboration between the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School, participants will have a global lens to provide systems level leadership. Steven hopes to use this knowledge and lead the nation toward gaining back the ground we have lost of the years to other countries. Also, Steven hopes to be Secretary of Education in 2022.