Hilderbrand Pelzer III
The Principal who lifted up one of the largest jail systems through education.
Hilderbrand Pelzer III is an award-winning educator, author, and keynote speaker whose work explores the intersection of literacy, leadership, and juvenile justice. For more than 37 years, he has dedicated his career to understanding one question:
What leadership decisions change the trajectory of a child’s life?
That question has guided every chapter of his professional journey—from classrooms and school leadership to correctional education, systems leadership, and national and international keynote stages.
Pelzer’s perspective was shaped early in his career while teaching in a secure juvenile correctional facility, where he encountered young people, whose educational struggles had begun years before they entered the justice system. Rather than asking what was wrong with them, he began asking what had happened to them—and what educational leaders could have done differently. That question continues to define his work today.
A former principal who led the nationally recognized turnaround of a public school inside one of the nation’s largest urban jail systems, Pelzer brings a perspective few educators possess. His leadership challenged long-held assumptions about what is possible for students in the most complex educational environments and earned national recognition from the Council of the Great City Schools.
Throughout his career, Pelzer has consistently chosen to lead where the educational challenges are greatest. From the classroom to cabinet-level leadership in one of the nation’s largest urban school districts, he has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant regional superintendent for alternative education, assistant superintendent for high schools, and now associate superintendent for elementary schools in the School District of Philadelphia. Along the way, he has led five schools, participated in major school reform initiatives, designed innovative educational models for expelled students, and expanded educational opportunities for students facing some of education’s most complex challenges.
Today, Pelzer’s work extends far beyond any single role. Through keynote presentations, consulting, writing, and leadership development, he challenges organizations to rethink literacy—not simply as an instructional priority, but as one of the most consequential leadership responsibilities they hold. His presentations blend research, lived experience, vulnerability, and compelling storytelling to help leaders examine the decisions that shape school culture, reading achievement, opportunity, and long-term life outcomes.
He is the author of Unlocking Potential: Organizing a School Inside a Prison and consulting producer of the award-winning documentary Left Behind. His work has helped elevate national conversations about reading frustration, dyslexia, early intervention, educational equity, and the life-changing power of literacy.
Pelzer’s keynote presentations have challenged and inspired educators, school leaders, universities, literacy organizations, juvenile justice professionals, nonprofit organizations, and policymakers across the United States and internationally.
His leadership has been recognized with the Queen Smith Award for Commitment to Urban Education, the Lindback Award for Distinguished Principal Leadership, the Moral and Courageous Exemplar Urban Educational Leadership Award, and the Living Legend Award.
Pelzer believes that leadership is ultimately measured not by titles, but by the futures it makes possible. His message is both simple and urgent:
Leadership decisions about literacy shape life outcomes. When leaders change how they think about reading, they change what is possible for children.
Interviews
Heart of the City Radio Show
The Success Chronicles
Empowering Dyslexia Student Edition
Testimonials
“Mr. Pelzer’s work is truly inspiring and life-changing for the youth impacted. I appreciate his dedication to speak on issues of literacy, dyslexia, teacher preparation, the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and more. His book, Unlocking Potential, addresses many of these issues . . . I highly recommend him to speak to your organization.”
Stacie McClam, JD, M.Ed
School Dismissed, LLC
Director & Producer of Robbed: A Mother's Peril -
The Kelley Williams-Bolar Story
“Kids are in a jail cell all day long for months and months and months…They’re entitled to receive an education but no one has worked out how to provide that education.”
Evid Hudak
Former Colorado State Senator
D-Westminster
“It is refreshing to see information and concerns navigated towards our unique situation. It is not often that I find information specific to what we are doing.”
Robert Leyrer
Correctional Educator
Special Education Coordinator
“His experience as an instructional leader working with school aged students and incarcerated adolescents with reading struggles has given him a unique perspective on the correlation to reading difficulties that can lead to troubled imprisoned adults.”
Atteendee
Learning Ally/edWeb Webinar
“The work that Hilderbrand had put in to create an environment that values education was very apparent. It further illuminated my belief that young men of color when given positive models and mentors can be affirmatively developed, reclaimed, and transformed no matter their circumstances.”
Ron Walker
Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color
Executive Director (COSEBOC)
“Mr. Hilderbrand Pelzer III is an example of a man, a strong African-American man, who sees a problem with the system and instead of complaining, he confronted the system with a model created to address the problem. ”
Examiner.com
“Mr. Pelzer’s keynote was spot on and very encouraging to our staff.”
Rona Privette-Frost
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Business/Education Services Coordinator
“It’s people like Mr. Pelzer who inspire you to want to learn.”
Prince Andrew
The Duke of York
“Thank you for presenting at the 2024 Ohio Literacy Academy. Your expertise on effective system building contributed greatly to the Ohio education community as well as our state level team. I spoke with many of your session attendees who said you gave them goosebumps.”
Melissa M. Weber-Mayrer, Ph.D.
Chief of Literacy
Literacy Achievement and Reading Success
“Hilderbrand is an extremely thoughtful leader who is deeply passionate about educating all children, particularly those students labeled as ‘most difficult’ or ‘unmotivated’.”
Dr. Traci Teasley
Michigan Department of Education
Partnership District Liason
"Love the speaker. Mr. Pelzer was so charismatic and you can really tell he loved and cared so much for the students and children he has worked with and continues to help."
Attendee
Learning Ally/edWeb Webinar
“Hilderbrand Pelzer shares his experience and practice in working with the most at-risk population of incarcerated youth. His educational model is of value to all educational settings as his core belief lies in building relationships with all students.”
Dr. Frank Garritano, Ed.D.
Phoenixville Area School District
Executive Director of Schools
“If you are in the field of Correctional Education and/or want to learn more about the field, pick up a copy of Hilderbrand’s book.”
Relus Lucear
South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice
Former Education Leader, Assistant Principal
“Whether you work with incarcerated youth, in an alternative setting, or in a more traditional school environment, your eyes will be opened by Hilderbrand Pelzer III’s book.”
Justin Baeder
The Principal Center
Director
“Excellent educator who views students’ potential and unlocks their knowledge, skills, and abilities to exceptional performance levels. This educator truly cares about all students.”
Dr. Susan Nornhold
Big Think Theory
Chief Executive Officer, Ed. D
“My brain is on fire!”
“Powerful keynote to close out our conference. Thank you for challenging our team to overcome our challenges to unlock the potential of our students.”
Adam Johnson
North Carolina Juvenile Justice Schools
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Director of Education
“Tremendous presentation! Continue, please with your great work. ”
Literacy: A Social Justice Issue
Webinar Attendee
“Hilderbrand is a K-12 warrior who has seen 'both sides' of the school to prison pipeline.”
Bill Morrison
Access411
Chief Executive Officer
“You have a gift of bringing this issue to life and sharing your passion with the audience.”
Angela Marks
Reading Allowed
Executive Director
“During my time as the administrator of the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center and with the young men detained there, you were the best advocate I’ve ever met for the youth in our penal driven society…because of your love and concern."
William Lawton
City of Philadelphia
Warden (Ret.), Philadelphia Prison System
North Carolina Juvenile Justice Education
Conference Attendee
“Pelzer has based his career on motivating students and teachers and focusing on the impact literacy has on success later in life.”
Angela Hockler
Kent County Public Schools
Coordinator of Student Services
“Pelzer knows what it's like when individuals are coming into the corrections facilities, and they can't read.”
Terrie Noland, Ph.D.
Learning Ally
Vice President of Education Initiatives
“Your talk was so inspiring, and I know it hit home for so many people and made a real impact.”
Anna Toomey
Left Behind, A Documentary about the
Literacy Academy Collective
Director
“I was moved by many things you shared on the panel.”
Reading Allowed Speaker Series
Attendee
“I can personally attest to the fact that Mr. Pelzer is an expert on this subject and worked miracles inside the Philadelphia Prison System. ”
Leon A. King, II, Esq.
City of Philadelphia
Commissioner of Prisons (Ret.)
"Your experiences in prison education and elementary schools provided invaluable context on how literacy shapes life outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities. Hearing your approach to literacy as empowerment was truly inspiring and added depth to our understanding of education and social justice.”
Tyron Pope, EdD
Iona University
Chairperson, Faculty Senate Committee on Diversity
Clinical Lecturer in Criminal Justice
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