Lel Gray Levin, M.A.
Co-Founder & Academic Coach
My path to academic coaching grew out of a pivotal turning point during my time at Northwestern University. Faced with dense history texts and a demanding workload, I realized that simply working harder wasn't working—I needed to understand how I actually processed information. By experimenting with practical learning strategies, I transformed academic stress into structured, repeatable systems. That experience redirected my vision from child advocacy law to advocating for students directly in the classroom.
Since the mid-1990s, I have maintained a continuous, active presence as a high school educator in Chicago and on Chicago’s North Shore. Staying grounded in daily school life keeps me directly connected to the realities students face—where heavy curriculum demands rarely leave time to address the foundational mechanics of how to learn.
To bridge that gap, I co-founded The Align Center alongside my husband, Dr. Adam Levin. While Dr. Levin leads the psychological and emotional wellness side of our practice, I lead academic coaching. Combining active classroom experience with my background in history, reading, and clinical psychology coursework, I help students embrace their unique learning profiles, automate reliable routines, and build the confidence to own their academic journey.
Key Leadership & Impact
Service Learning Coordinator: Guided district educators in weaving community purpose into learning—connecting students with local veterans and leading high schoolers to author, self-publish, and donate Latin American history books to elementary school libraries.
ABC’s Chicagoing Feature: Featured in a short documentary following my students from an underserved population and me as we collaborated to build, fundraise, and execute a trip to Washington, D.C.—marking the first time on an airplane for many students.
Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award: Recognized for developing a pioneering school-within-a-school support program on Chicago's North Shore.
Museum Work: Extensive educational and curriculum development work with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.
Education & Credentials
Northwestern University: B.A. in History & Secondary Education Certificate
National Louis University: M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction (Thesis: Impact of Relationship Building in the Classroom)
Illinois School of Professional Psychology: Graduate Coursework in Clinical Psychology