TROY, Mich., Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emily L. Nielson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Chief Human Capital Officer for Baltimore City Public Schools, received the 2026 Distinguished Service Award presented by the Council of the Great City Schools. Sponsored by Kelly Education for the third consecutive year, the award honors an individual from the management services ranks for their distinguished service in urban education. This year, the recognition occurred at the annual Chief Human Resources Officers meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Since joining Baltimore City Public Schools as Chief Human Capital Officer in 2022, Nielson has led transformative improvements in staffing and operational efficiency for the district, serving approximately 75,000 students across 160 schools. Under her leadership, teacher hiring increased by nearly 25% year over year in 2023, and teacher vacancies decreased to the lowest levels on record in 2025. She also dramatically improved hiring processes, reducing offer letter delivery time from three weeks to just three days. Beyond her district responsibilities, Nielson launched the Maryland-Virginia-DC CHRO network to promote regional collaboration and problem-solving among HR leaders of large districts, and was selected for the inaugural cohort of Women Leading Ed Sustained Education Executive Network.
“This award recognizes Emily Nielson for her dedicated service as the leader of the human resources department at Baltimore City Public Schools,” said Willie Burroughs, the Council’s director of management services. “In this role, she has successfully improved staff recruitment and retention while modernizing the department. These efforts have led to an increase in teaching hires and a decrease in vacancies. Emily has also been an active participant in the monthly Council job-alike meetings, where she shares her expertise with human resource leaders from urban school districts. Congratulations, Emily, on this well-deserved award.”
“Emily Nielson represents the visionary leadership that transforms urban school districts from within,” said Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education. “Her remarkable achievements in improving hiring outcomes, streamlining processes, and building collaborative networks demonstrate how strategic human capital management can create lasting positive impact for students, educators, and entire communities. We are honored to recognize her outstanding contributions through this award for the third consecutive year.”
Nielson holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where she concentrated in Human Resources, Labor, and Education Policy. She earned her A.B. in Social Studies from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Her career in education began as a Teach For America corps member, teaching ninth-grade geography in Roma, Texas.
About the Council of the Great City Schools
The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 81 large city school districts, its mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for inner-city students through legislation, research and media relations. The organization also provides a network for school districts sharing common problems to exchange information, and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. www.cgcs.org.
About Kelly Education
Kelly Education powers the future of learning through customized workforce solutions, including hiring and recruiting, business management, professional development, academic, and social-emotional support across the full continuum of education––from early childhood, PK-12, special education, and therapeutic services to higher education, executive search, and beyond. Kelly Education is a business of Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a global workforce solutions provider that’s always asking what’s next in the world of work. Learn more at kellyeducation.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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