Dr. Cecelia Gillam currently resides and works in New Orleans, LA, teaching AP Environmental and Honors Biology at Benjamin Franklin High School. Cecelia is also a First Robotics sponsor and a teacher advisor with Mu Alpha Theta and the Student Movement Against Cancer. In addition to her role at Benjamin Frankling High School, she works part-time as a virtual science teacher, teaching biology, environmental science, and physical science. Cecelia previously worked at Hahnville High School, teaching AP Environmental, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Biology, and Chemistry. At Hahnville High School, Cecelia also served on the Science Curriculum team, as the Black History Month coordinator, Science Fair coordinator, and member of the school improvement planning team, in addition to being the student teacher supervisor, new teacher mentor, and science department chair.
Cecelia Gillam received her Bachelor of Science in Education, with a concentration in biology and general science, from Southern University of Baton Rouge. She also graduated from Southern Louisiana University with a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership in 2016 and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership in 2024.
Throughout her career, Dr. Cecelia Gillam has been selected for many honors and awards, as well as published in many professional journals and online publications. She is an ISTE certified educator, an expert and distinguished Modern Classroom educator, certified to teach in multiple US states, and holds an English to Students of Other Languages teaching certification.
Dr. Cecelia is a part of multiple professional communities. She has been the Louisiana Science Teacher Association’s secretary since 2023, the Louisiana Department of Education affinity group leader since 2022, a Black Teacher Project Board Member since 2022, and an Educators for Quality Alternatives Charter School Board member since 2021, among others. She has recently been selected for the 2025 PhET Fellowship.