Michelle Accardi is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Childhood through Young Adulthood/Exceptional Needs Specialist and the Director of Policy and Partnerships for the National Board. Prior to joining the staff of the National Board in 2011, she was an elementary school teacher in Albuquerque Public Schools. She achieved National Board certification in 2005 in Exceptional Needs. Accardi worked in team taught and self contained classrooms with a focus on students with behavioral differences.  In addition, she was active with the New Mexico NBCT Network. She enjoyed interacting with fellow teachers as a Candidate Support Provider and as a Dossier Assessor. Her work included consulting for several BIE Schools.  Prior to work in education, she was a private sector attorney.