Meet Chanel

Chanel Alford grew up in Richmond, Virginia and attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She was an award-winning middle and high school Marketing teacher for 12 years before becoming a Technology Integration Specialist (TIS) in Alexandria City Public Schools, where she currently works. Since being hired in 2018, Chanel has worked diligently with implementing instructional technology in the district and currently serves as one of four TIS Captains, led an after school group of “female coding technicians” — young girls interested in getting into coding and computer science, and sponsors a student club for aspiring DJs.  Chanel is one of the recipients of the 2019 COSN National NextGen: Emerging EdTech Leader Awards. She believes that learning should be fun and innovative. She loves presenting at conferences, teaching others new skills, technological gadgets, reading various types of books, sports,  writing, and deejaying.

Chanel currently serves as a proud VSTE Board of Directors Member (immediate past Vice-Chair and current DEI Committee Chair), as well as on the COSN Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee/Affiliate Rep.  She is also the namesake for a scholarship for the CySecSol Cybersecurity Company after excelling as an intern.