Nazirah Purnell

Nazirah’s work is driven by her north star: solving challenges to ensure students, especially those who are underserved, have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive in life. At Watershed, Nazirah serves as a Senior Analyst, advancing instructional quality and supporting states in building coherent systems. Her work is shaped by a deep belief that systems should be designed to work for every student.

Nazirah began her career as a 6th-grade English Language Arts teacher at a Title 1 community school in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first degree-granting HBCU, where she graduated summa cum laude as a first-generation college student.

Nazirah lives in central Pennsylvania and serves as an elected School Director for the Williamsport Area School District. In her free time, she enjoys coaching track and field and frequenting museums with her son, Omari.