Today we’d like to introduce you to Noemi Pavon.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I will never forget the day when the erroneous assumptions made by my high school guidance counselor pierced my heart, yet fueled my journey as a lifelong learner and educator. Like me, there are many students whose life trajectories are pre-determined because of race, socioeconomic status, and zip code. These rampant false stereotypes in school administration constitute the central issue I work to address through my work as a fierce advocate for educational equity.
I became an Assistant Principal at age 26, and, by age 30, I became the first Latina high school turnaround principal in South Carolina. Under my leadership, I experienced more wins for my students and school community than the average new principal. I took the school from under-enrolled to having a waiting list, from experiencing high turnover to record-breaking staff retention, and from underperforming academically to achieving record-breaking academic gains in reading, math, and the ACT. Suspensions and detentions decreased significantly and were replaced with restorative and mindfulness practices.
I believe three major things contributed to my success, which ultimately impacted the success of hundreds of students and thousands of community members: 1. My unwavering faith and commitment to excellence. I believe that all students deserve an excellent education, 2. A keen ability to hire and keep the right people, while prioritizing their professional development and never compromising on the workplace culture, and 3. Strategically restructuring and developing the macro and microstructures to achieve results within the organization.
Although I experienced success working in this capacity, I quickly learned that the ecosystem surrounding the school is still deeply rooted in systemic inequities and antiquated beliefs about educational excellence. Many of our school superintendents, principals, and teachers are doing their best with what they were taught 20-30 years ago, yet too many of our nation’s schools are still operating with a “one size fits all approach and teacher-led classroom practices.”
These pivotal moments and experiences are ingrained in my memory and have propelled me to break the chains of injustice. The school and system leaders responsible for the success of our nation’s schools and districts need access to high-quality support, coaching, and development so that all students receive an excellent education. In 2018, at age 33, I became the CEO of The Pavon Firm, a full-service educational coaching and consulting firm that enables world-class leadership, staff professional development, and strategic organizational development. We serve educational institutions and customize services for nonprofit, law enforcement, small businesses, and governmental agencies.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
If I were keeping track, I have definitely experienced more failures than successes; however, each one, has brought its own lesson–and although it’s tough to admit at the moment, each failure has prepared me for the next step in my journey.
At times in this fight for educational equity, my adversaries seemed invincible. I was often confronted and challenged by others’ beliefs that undermined the work I was doing. I worked tirelessly to ensure that my leaders, teachers, and staff could do their work without any external distractions that took them away from the real work with students. Being clear on my purpose and mission has allowed me to confidently walk in my power and ensure that I have a voice at the table, especially when making decisions that go against the grain.
The toughest part of my entrepreneurial experience has been adapting the mindset/skillset of a salesperson. It’s always been challenging for me to speak about my accomplishments and the challenges that I have overcome; however, I have become resolute in ensuring that I am not minimizing the gifts, talents, and adversities that are meant to bless others. Since this mindset shift, I have found it much easier to connect and share my story with the world.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Pavon Firm – what should we know?
Skilled as a leadership coach and educator, I have eleven years of experience as a teacher, professional development guru, and organizational development strategist and culture & climate expert. As the CEO of The Pavon Firm, LLC, I leverage my expertise through cultivating leaders and teams in multiple sectors, including education, non-profit, small businesses and governmental agencies.
The Pavon Firm is a full-service coaching and consulting firm that enables world-class leadership, staff professional development and strategic organizational development. We serve educational institutions and customize services for nonprofit, law enforcement, small businesses, and governmental agencies.
Our commitment to excellence, research-based practices, and socio-emotional learning are integral to the work that we do with our clients. We believe that more is accomplished with a team; therefore, it is our mission to ensure that our clients have access to highly sought out experts. Many ask me if I am doing this work alone, and the answer is HECK NO! I have been fortunate enough to have access to an elite network of experts from top educational institutions and organizations including but not limited to Columbia University, Yale, Harvard, NYU, Teach For America, and KIPP. This network has been invaluable to me and I’m excited to extend this wealth of knowledge to my clients.
I am proud that within weeks, our firm expanded its impact to schools and leaders across the U.S. and within months, grown our impact to the Caribbean. We have seen executive leaders and organizations gain high leverage tools that allow them to lead with more confidence. We are excited to continue to touch the lives of leaders both within and outside of the educational landscape.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I could write about this for days! In short, I am eternally grateful for the depth and strength of my network. My village is comprised of uniquely talented individuals, thought/accountability partners, and cheerleaders that include my family, friends, mentors, former students, colleagues, community members spanning multiple states and my social media followers. They are people who in various ways, give me the courage and inspiration to keep working and fighting for what I am most passionate about educational equity, women’s rights, and equality for people of color and the immigrant community.
Contact Info:
- Website: thepavonfirm.com
- Phone: 404.625.8665
- Email: thepavonleadershipfirm@gmail.com
- Instagram: Principal_Pavon
- Facebook: The Pavon Firm
- Twitter: Principal_Pavon
- Yelp: Linked In: Noemi Pavon
- Other: Linked In: The Pavon Firm
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