Influential Women spotlights Ochanya McRoberts-Wells on inclusive education leadership

Influential Women is recognizing ExcelPrep Schools Director of Business Development Ochanya Nicole McRoberts-Wells for her work expanding access to equitable education and leading with a human-centered approach. Her background in change management, account growth, and special education operations is being highlighted as a model for non-linear career growth and inclusive leadership.

Why it matters: - Ochanya Nicole McRoberts-Wells is being recognized for work that connects business development with more equitable access to education. - Her career path shows how operational leadership, change management and relationship-building can support inclusive growth in special education. - The recognition highlights a broader message for women in education and leadership: advancement can come through adjacent strategic roles, not only traditional clinical tracks.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Ochanya Nicole McRoberts-Wells, the Director of Business Development at ExcelPrep Schools, in a profile focused on inclusive growth in education and leadership. - The profile was published July 3, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. - The feature framed McRoberts-Wells as a change practitioner and growth leader working to expand equitable educational opportunities for diverse learners. - A profile on Influential Women is available online.

The details: - McRoberts-Wells applies strategic relationship-building and expansion experience to support schools, partners and communities. - Her work at ExcelPrep Schools centers on aligning operational strategy with human-centered outcomes. - Her prior experience includes managing more than 250 global accounts at CentralReach. - She also led quality assurance initiatives at STEPS Behavioral Consulting. - The profile says McRoberts-Wells is widely recognized for Organizational Behavior Management, with specialization in change management, public speaking and team facilitation. - She partners with philanthropic foundations, educational institutions and corporate teams to streamline workflows, strengthen systems and improve performance outcomes. - The profile says her work is guided by a commitment to sustainable impact, collaborative leadership and removing systemic barriers that limit achievement. - McRoberts-Wells credits discipline and a family environment that valued excellence without rigid definitions of success. - Her father’s academic and spiritual background, including seminary studies and his path toward becoming the first Black Catholic priest in Missouri, shaped her outlook on discipline and rigor. - After leaving the seminary, her father met her mother, and both chose community service through facilitation and coordinating linkages for people in need. - Her older brother served as her first mentor. - Her family encouraged her to explore beyond her home state and define success on her own terms. - That openness helped her identify her ikigai, described as the intersection of passion, impact and fulfillment. - A mentor later pushed her to move from relationship-building into account management. - She initially hesitated because the role was sales-oriented. - McRoberts-Wells says the move became a defining milestone because it showed her interpersonal skills were a major professional advantage. - She says the transition reinforced her belief that calculated risks can lead to faster, more meaningful growth. - She encourages young women to be patient with career progression and to look for leadership roles in operational and strategic positions. - She also advises professionals to seek mentors who challenge assumptions and to stay open to non-linear paths that build cross-disciplinary skills. - Her stated core values are authenticity, integrity, communication, service and accountability. - The profile says she is known for consistency and transparency and for bringing a steady presence to her work.

Between the lines: - The feature reads as both a career profile and a message about how impact-driven education leaders can move between clinical, operational and commercial roles. - The emphasis on non-linear advancement reflects a broader push to widen the pipeline for women who may not follow traditional leadership tracks. - By highlighting family influence, mentorship and community service, the profile positions McRoberts-Wells as a leader shaped as much by values as by credentials.

What's next: - The Influential Women profile is likely to serve as a professional introduction for McRoberts-Wells as she continues work in business development and inclusive education. - Her comments suggest she will keep emphasizing mentorship, adaptability and strategic growth in future leadership roles. - The broader takeaway is that ExcelPrep Schools’ growth strategy is being tied to access, equity and sustainability rather than expansion alone. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile.