Meet the Founder, an Educator, for Educators

Hi, I'm Cheryl-Marie Manson,

Founder of Zen & the Art of School Administration

This is my Story

Cheryl-Marie Manson is a dedicated educational leader with over 30 years of experience in special education, instructional leadership, and professional development. She currently serves as the Project Manager for the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE), where she oversees initiatives aimed at enhancing leadership capacities and educational standards across Michigan’s special education landscape. In this role, Cheryl-Marie provides strategic guidance, operational oversight, and professional development opportunities to support administrators and educators in delivering high-quality special education services.

As a Full Focus Certified Coach and Certified Google Trainer, Cheryl-Marie specializes in helping educators and administrators streamline their workflows, improve productivity, and leverage digital tools to enhance efficiency. Her expertise includes digital organization, automation strategies, and leadership coaching, ensuring that education professionals can focus on their core mission—supporting students.

Previously, Cheryl-Marie led the Instructional Services department at Van Buren Intermediate School District, where she provided regional leadership in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), working with district leadership teams to build effective systems for student achievement. Throughout her career, she has served in various roles, including Special Education Teacher, Curriculum Consultant, Special Education Supervisor, Building Principal, and District Curriculum and Technology Director.

In 2023, Cheryl-Marie founded Zen and the Art of School Administration (Zen ASA), where she serves as Principal Consultant. Zen ASA’s mission is to support educators in feeling less frantic and more focused in an increasingly hyper-connected world. Through coaching, consulting, and digital organization strategies, she helps individuals and districts clear the clutter, create space, and reconnect with the work that matters most.

A proud alumna of Grand Valley State University, Cheryl-Marie holds a BA in Psychology and Master’s Degrees in both Learning Disabilities and School Administration. She is passionate about coaching, leadership development, and empowering educators to create sustainable and impactful educational environments. Cheryl-Marie also shares her insights through Zen and the Art of School Administration, a YouTube channel dedicated to digital organization, automation strategies, and productivity for educators.

Cheryl-Marie also shares her insights through Zen and the Art of School Administration, a YouTube channel dedicated to digital organization, automation strategies, and productivity for educators.