Todd Campbell
Backfield in Motion
Nashville, TN USA
"What you do now affects what they do in the future. You never know who’s looking at you as their mentor."
Career Roadmap
Todd's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
We need to put positive role models in front of our students. However, there aren't a lot of Black men in education, so I've been very intentional in seeking out Black men out and giving them opportunities to get into this space. A lot of people have this misconception that Black men can only play sports or get into trouble. So we need to make sure that we're giving them good opportunities to become role models for the younger generations.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Middle Grades Education
Western Kentucky University
Graduate Degree
Educational Leadership
Trevecca Nazarene University
Doctorate
Leadership and Professional Practice
Trevecca Nazarene University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Growing up in a tight-knit community in Kentucky, I learned early on the value of education and support.
2.
Since high school, I knew that I wanted to become a teacher—I participated in Future Teachers of America as a freshman in high school, and was the only boy and person of color in the class.
3.
In college, I had to balance school with being a teenage parent while also focusing on my son's future.
4.
After college, I started my career as a middle school teacher.
5.
I decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee, because the state had less stringent educational requirements to become a school principal.
6.
I eventually transitioned into administration, driven by a desire to lead and implement change.
7.
I became Principal of the Year which recognized my leadership and impact.
8.
Shifting to nonprofit work, I joined Backfield in Motion as CEO, expanding the program to serve over 700 kids, and blending my love for education and community service.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
All that Black men can do is get into trouble or play sports.
How I responded:
We need to put positive role models in front of our students. However, there aren't a lot of Black men in education, so I've been very intentional in seeking out Black men out and giving them opportunities to get into this space. A lot of people have this misconception that Black men can only play sports or get into trouble. So we need to make sure that we're giving them good opportunities to become role models for the younger generations.