New Visions for Public Schools Staff Profiles

Robert L. Hughes
President

Robert L. Hughes was appointed president of New Visions in September 2000. Under his leadership, New Visions has created 96 public schools in New York City, provided mentoring services to 633 new principals, developed school-based certification programs for teachers and principals, and created an inquiry process now in use in 1,500 New York City public schools.

Hughes, an attorney, has worked on public education issues for his entire career.  He served as co-counsel in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. The State of New York, challenging the constitutionality of the New York State’s educational finance system. Plaintiffs prevailed and secured a $5 billion remedial decree for operating aid and a $13.5 billion decree for capital construction for the New York City public school system. 

Hughes received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his law degree from Stanford Law School. He clerked for the Hon. Shirley Abrahamson, chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He has authored articles on public education for The New York Times, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Yale Law & Policy Review, and the Connecticut Law Review. He served as chair of the Committee on Education and the Law at the Association of the Bar of City of New York and chair of the board for Advocates for Children of New York, where he was previously executive director. He was also on the board of the Center for Architecture. He currently serves on the boards of Urban Teacher Residency United, the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, the Fund for Teachers and TransAtlantic School Innovation Alliance, a partnership between New York City public schools and the British government. 

Kunle Abodunde
Program Officer, Development

Kunle Abodunde joined New Visions in 2009. In the development department, he is responsible for writing grant proposals and reports for New Visions’ institutional donors. Abodunde previously worked as an assistant director and program officer at The Health & Hospitals Corporation Foundation of New Your City, where he managed program-related grants. He also spent six years as a strategy consultant for Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. He earned his M.Phil. with an emphasis on politics from the University of Cambridge.

Tarika Barrett
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Tarika Barrett joined New Visions in 2009. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. She previously designed and implemented research and program evaluations for New York University’s Center for Research on Teaching and Learning. Barrett has worked as an adjunct instructor, dean of students, high school teacher and political organizer for the New York Public Interest Research Group.  A graduate of Brooklyn College, Barrett has an M.A. in deaf education from Columbia Teachers College and a Ph.D. in teaching and learning from New York University.

Yolanda Basora
Receptionist, Finance and Administration

Yolanda Basora joined New Visions in 2008. She provides front-desk, facilities and office services support. Her experience includes three years with Project Renewal, where she served as an administrative assistant in the outreach department. Basora previously worked at OPS Inc.’s T&E department as an administrative consultant and receptionist and as an administrative assistant and account clerk for HSBC Bank in the mortgage accounting department. 

Lisa Sorich Blackwell
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Lisa Sorich Blackwell joined New Visions in 2005. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Before coming to New Visions, Blackwell served as a consultant analyzing school-based data to inform professional development and intervention strategies under the New Century High Schools Initiative. Other experience includes data analysis, curriculum design, intervention program design, implementation and impact assessment, and design and delivery of professional development. She has been featured in Time and New York magazines as well as in scholarly publications, and on Good Morning America and National Public Radio programs. Blackwell holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University.

Kïrsten Blake
Program Officer, Knowledge Management

Kïrsten Blake joined New Visions in 2009. She assists in the development and implementation of KnowledgeBase, New Visions’ knowledge management tool. Blake relocated from Washington, D.C., where she served as senior training coordinator at College Summit’s national office. She spent two years teaching eighth-grade humanities at W. Hayward Burns Middle School (PS/IS 176) in New York City as a Teach for America corps member. Blake holds an M.A. in secondary social studies education from Columbia Teachers College and a B.A. from the College of Wooster in Ohio.

Brenda Bravo
Leadership Development Facilitator

Brenda Bravo joined New Visions in 2010. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Bravo has more than 30 years of experience working in the educational sector. She served as principal of University Heights High School, an alternative school run in collaboration with CUNY on the campus of Bronx Community College. Bravo earned her doctorate in education from Columbia University's Teachers College.

Michelle Brochu
Facilitator, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM)

Michelle Brochu joined New Visions in 2008. She assists high schools in implementing a leadership development program called the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM). She works with university faculty and school-based teams and leads weekly seminars. Previously, as a leadership development facilitator, she provided leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Brochu has more than 15 years of educational experience, having served as a high school English, art and drama teacher. She was co-founder and co-director of the Bronx Lab School and served as an assistant principal at the Henry Street School for International Studies. As an AUSSIE literary consultant, she provided professional development to middle and high schools throughout New York City and Harrisburg, Pa. Brochu holds a B.A. in English from University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in education from Baruch College, where she also received her S.A.S. certification. She has been actively involved in theater and the arts for the past 25 years.

Corey Brown
Technical Support Associate, Finance and Administration

Corey Brown joined New Visions in 2009. He provides daily technical support to New Visions staff, installing, maintaining and repairing computers and related hardware and software. Brown previously worked as a technology coordinator for Como Park Senior High School in St. Paul, Minn., and as a help-desk technician with Decision One, a company that provides IT outsourcing. A longtime high school baseball coach, he holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota.

Moraima Campanella
Office Manager, Finance and Administration

Moraima Campanella joined New Visions in 2004. She is responsible for office services and supervises the front-desk staff. She previously served as executive assistant to New Visions’ president. Prior to joining New Visions, she managed tenant services for Vornado Realty Trust. Campanella brings 15 years of experience in office administration and support.

Romina Carrillo Gutierrez
Associate Director, Leadership Development

Romina Carrillo Gutierrez joined New Visions in 2005. She leads a team of facilitators that supports schools under the Partnership Support Organization contract with New York City’s Department of Education. She previously served as director of the New Century High Schools Initiative, where she provided expert guidance to schools in analyzing school-based data to inform professional development and intervention strategies. Prior to joining New Visions, she gained experience as a bilingual teacher, trainer and assistant superintendent in urban school districts. She has taught in teacher education and educational leadership programs at Brown University, Mills College and Harvard University. Gutierrez holds an Ed.D. from Harvard University.

Ernest Lydell Carter
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Ernest Lydell Carter joined New Visions in 1999. He provides professional and leadership development for New Visions schools and manages semiannual retreats for more than 500 educators. His previous responsibilities included leading the New York City Charter School Assistance Center, which supported the research, creation and development of the first 18 charter schools in the area. He served as director of the educational talent search at Aspira of New York and deputy director of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation. Carter holds a B.A. in sociology from SUNY Binghamton and a certificate in nonprofit management from Columbia University’s business school.

Rosanna Castro
Program Associate, School Support Center

Rosanna Castro joined New Visions in 2009. She works with the Children First Network Team, supporting administrative collaboration and evaluation efforts. She previously led a statewide college access program for Rhode Island’s six urban core communities. She served on the Providence school board and has worked on several initiatives on education access, equity and reform initiatives. She graduated from Brown University with B.A. in public policy and American institutions.

Jana Chandler
Program Officer, College and Career Pathways

Jana Chandler joined New Visions in 2007. She supports New Visions schools in preparing students for college and career by connecting schools with outside partners, training teachers and counselors, and providing tools to track students’ college- and career-related activities. She previously served as a policy officer in the Policy and Research Department. Her experience includes teaching elementary-level English as a Second Language in New York City and serving as a policy intern with the NAACP and a social impact organization in Namibia. Chandler holds a master’s in public administration from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and a master’s in childhood education from Queens College (CUNY).

Tabatha Chaney
Program Assistant, School Services and Operations

Tabatha Chaney joined New Visions in 2008. She provides administrative and project support to the vice president for school support and operations and to the transfer schools unit. She was previously a program assistant in the teaching and learning unit. Chaney’s previous positions include program assistant at the International Longevity Center, team leader/volunteer at New York Cares, and arts and crafts co-director at the Boys and Girls Club. She earned her B.A. in political science from Northeastern University, where she concentrated in international studies.

Eddie Chaves
Staff Accountant, Finance and Administration

Eddie Chaves joined New Visions in 2009 as a staff accountant within the finance unit. He reports to the controller and is responsible for coordinating the unit’s daily operations and for generating timely, accurate information. Chaves’ previous positions include accounts payable/accounts receivable associate at Zenbu Magazines LLC, accountant at Qualigen Inc. and accounts payable intern at Morgan Stanley. He earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Baruch College. Chaves is fluent in Spanish. 

Ronald Chaluisan
Vice President, Programs

Ronald Chaluisan joined New Visions in 2002. He leads the development, implementation and assessment of programs in the divisions of new school development, teaching and learning, and leadership development for K-12 public schools. Previously as director of small schools, he oversaw the New Century High Schools Initiative, a comprehensive school-creation process, and designed a wide range of supports for existing small schools throughout New York City. He was the co-founder and principal of the New York City Museum School, a New Visions small-school collaboration among Community School District 2 and the American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the South Street Seaport Museum. Chaluisan holds a B.A. in English and American literature and languages from Harvard University and a master’s in educational leadership from Bank Street College of Education.

Julia Chun
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Julia Chun joined New Visions in 2008. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Prior to joining New Visions, Chun was assistant principal of the Salk School of Science and served in many roles at School of the Future. She was a seventh- and eighth-grade team leader, humanities teacher, model classroom teacher, literacy instructor and curriculum developer. Chun earned both a B.A., magna cum laude, and M.A. in English literature from Columbia University and an M.Ed. in educational leadership from Teachers College.

Elisabeth Cramer
Program Associate, Knowledge Management

Elisabeth Cramer joined New Visions in 2008. She is responsible for providing analytical, administrative, operational and troubleshooting support to the Knowledge Management staff. She previously worked with EdisonLearning, where she wrote and refined curricula for the school management company and developed pieces that analytically synthesized product components, both for marketing purposes and end-user applications. Her other employers included the Vendome Press, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literacy Agency and Lycée Français. Cramer earned her B.A. from the University of Virginia, where she double-majored in English and French language and literature. In summer 2005, she studied comparative British and American 19th- and 20th-century literature at Oxford University. In spring 2006 she completed a rigorous curriculum as an exchange student enrolled at Université Lumière-Lyon 2 in Lyon, France.

Jennifer Davoli
Program Officer, Teaching and Learning 

Jennifer Davoli joined New Visions in 2009. She supports the work of residents and mentors of the Urban Teacher Residency program that New Visions runs in partnership with Hunter College. Davoli earned her M.A. in international education development from Columbia Teachers College. She previously worked as an eighth-grade teacher of history, reading and writing at The Graded School in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Mary Ann Davis
Program Officer, Knowledge Management

Mary Ann Davis joined New Visions in 2007. She works with the Knowledge Management team, collecting and curating data for the Customer Relationship Management system. She previously provided administrative and program support to the chief operating officer. Prior to joining New Visions, Davis worked for the New York Historical Society as a schools program associate. She was responsible for coordinating teacher workshops and art- and history-based school programs. Davis holds a B.A. in fine arts from New York University.

Genevieve de Gaillande
Project Coordinator, Programs

Genevieve de Gaillande joined New Visions in 2005. She provides administrative and program support to the vice president of programs. She has experience providing executive-level support in the entertainment and finance sectors. Using her background as an actress and assistant casting director, she volunteers with community-based organizations centered on arts advocacy for youth. De Gaillande holds a B.A. in sociology from the University of California at San Diego.

Rose De Pinto
Leadership Coach, Leadership Development

Rose De Pinto joined New Visions in 2009. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions' Partnership Support Organization contract. She previously provided professional and technical expertise on school operations through the School Support Center. She is a nationally recognized high school principal and high school superintendent who spent 32 years in New York City public schools. She served as a teacher, assistant principal and bilingual education coordinator before becoming principal of William Cullen Bryant High. From 1999-2000, she was the superintendent of high schools in Brooklyn and Staten Island. From 2000-2002, she was the senior superintendent of New York City high schools. In 2004, De Pinto was appointed by Chancellor Joel Klein as senior counselor for school intervention and development for the New York City Department of Education. In that role, she developed tools and protocols for improving the safety and security systems, procedures and best practices in more than 1,300 schools, work that was shared nationally with educators and law enforcement officials. She also served as the liaison to the New York City Police Department and City Hall and, previously, as senior instructional manager for secondary education reform in New York City. A native of Italy, De Pinto received a bachelor’s degree with honors in second language instruction from Hunter College, a master’s degree in Italian literature from the University of Bologna, Italy, and a professional diploma in administration and supervision from Brooklyn College.

Margarita Diaz
Executive Assistant to President

Margarita Diaz joined New Visions in 2006. She provides administrative support to the president. Her experience includes executive-level support at Reality House, a social services agency in the Bronx, and at the Osborne Association. Diaz holds a B.A. in psychology from Lehman College.

Beverly Donohue
Vice President, Policy and Research

Beverly Donohue joined New Visions in 2003. She leads the Policy and Research Department in formulating and advocating policies to support the improvement of public education in New York City, including the systemic reform of secondary education. Donohue brings extensive experience from New York City government, where she held positions as chief financial officer for the New York City public school system and deputy director of the New York City Office of Management and Budget. She is a nationally recognized expert on school budgets and funding in support of educational reform. Donohue holds a B.A. from Radcliffe College and a M.Ed. from Harvard University.

Debrann Dukes
Receptionist, Finance and Administration

Debrann Dukes joined New Visions in 1992. She provides front-desk, facilities and office services support. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked at CNA Insurance Company as an underwriting assistant.

Jeanne Eng
Director of Technology, Finance and Administration

Jeanne Eng joined New Visions in 2004. She manages daily technology needs and is responsible for the administration, maintenance and management of the computer and telecom infrastructure. Prior to joining New Visions, Eng managed a technology program that focused on assisting the nonprofit sector to plan and implement strategic and programmatic use of technology. She holds a B.S. in business administration from SUNY Buffalo.

Susan Fairchild
Director, Data Analysis and Applied Research

Susan Fairchild joined New Visions in 2009. She supervises the development of a variety of types of data reports. Fairchild brings 19 years of experience in education, health and social science research. She received her Ph.D. from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development with a focus on teacher workforce issues and survey methods.  While working on her doctorate, Fairchild served as the program director at NYU’s College of Nursing for a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded study examining the career trajectories of newly licensed nurses. During that time, she also served as the director of benchmarking services for Nurses Improving Care to the Hospitalized Elders (NICHE), a national geriatric nursing program. Fairchild received her MPH from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. From 1991 until 2001 she worked on various health-related research projects for Hebrew Home for the Aged, Columbia University and New York University. From 2001 until 2003, she served as a program director at The Epsilon Group, an international healthcare consulting organization, managing multi-country, longitudinal cancer studies. Her expertise is in the design and development of infrastructure that supports ongoing data collection, data management and results reporting. 

Chiler Fleuristil
Network Administrator, Finance and Administration

Chiler Fleuristil joined New Visions in 2007. He provides network, database and end-user support across the organization. Prior to joining New Visions, he provided information technology support at the Guttmacher Institute. Fleuristil holds a B.S. from Monroe College.

Lewis Frohlich
Leadership Coach, Leadership Development

Lewis Frohlich joined New Visions in 2004. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions' Partnership Support Organization contract. He previously provided professional and technical expertise on school operations through the School Support Center. He previously provided leadership development and mentoring services to new principals as a member of New Visions’ principal mentoring program. He spent 12 years as principal of Midwood High School and served as deputy superintendent for instruction and superintendent of Brooklyn high schools. Frohlich was recognized locally and nationally for outstanding results at Midwood.

Stacy Galiatsos
Chief of Staff

Stacy Galiatsos joined New Visions in 2008 as chief of staff to lead cross-organizational planning and special projects. Galiatsos previously worked as an education consultant providing services in organizational strategic planning, development, program design, communications and partnership development. Her clients included New Visions for Public Schools, Community Resource Exchange, McGraw-Hill and the New York City Department of Education (New York); Portland Public Schools and the Portland Schools Foundation (Oregon); the Pennsylvania Department of Education and MicroSociety (Pennsylvania); and TimeWise Schools. She also served as the director of development and acting director of human resources for Lancaster City Schools, where she served on the leadership team and assisted in leading the district redesign efforts. Galiatsos began her career as a high school English teacher and then as an associate at the Children Achieving Challenge in Philadelphia, a key site within the Annenberg Foundation’s seminal nationwide education improvement effort. She earned her B.A. in English from Colgate University and her M.A. from Stanford University.

Barbara A. Gambino
Director, Leadership Development

Barbara A. Gambino is responsible for managing the leadership development team that supports New Visions-affiliated schools. She brings expertise in literacy instruction, special education and leadership development. Prior to joining New Visions, she served as a teacher, supervisor of special education, principal, deputy superintendent of District 2, community superintendent of District 1 and local instructional superintendent in Region 9 before becoming Region 9’s deputy regional superintendent within the New York City Department of Education. Gambino has been a mentor to new principals, a consultant to the San Diego Unified School District, a member of advisory panels for Wright Group/McGraw Hill Publishing Company and Bellevue Hospital‘s Pediatric Resource Center, and a member of the distinguished faculty of the Center for Recruitment and Professional Development at the NYC Department of Education. Gambino holds masters’ degrees from Pace University and Hunter College and an undergraduate degree from Marymount Manhattan College.

Judith Garcia
Subject Matter Expert, School Support Center

Judith Garcia joined New Visions in 2006. She provides professional and technical expertise on school operations issues in the School Support Center. Prior to joining New Visions, Garcia worked for the New York City Department of Education as a teacher and administrator in the Brooklyn high school system, advancing to supervisor of guidance for all high schools. Garcia also served as the regional officer of small schools, where she was responsible for supporting the growth of nine New Century high schools in Brooklyn. Garcia holds an M.A. in administration and supervision from Pace University.

Ruth Genn
Director, College and Career Pathways

Ruth Genn joined New Visions in 2005. The department she manages works with New Visions schools to support students’ college and career readiness and access. She previously served as director of data analysis and applied research. Before coming to New Visions, she was a senior policy analyst for the special adviser to the mayor of New York City and worked on restructuring the city’s out-of-school time services for school-aged youth. Genn also served as deputy director of the 2005 New York City Charter Revision Commission. She gained experience in teaching, K-12 education policy and public education issues for both state and local governments in California. Genn holds a master’s in public policy from the University of California at Berkeley.

Carol Geron
Controller, Finance and Administration

Carol Geron joined New Visions in 1996. She is responsible for managing accounting, grants and budgeting. Previously, she was the fiscal manager of New York Networks for School Renewal. Geron was also founder and chief financial officer of a design company and accounting supervisor and human resources coordinator for the Museum of Television and Radio. She was a founding member of the Hudson Valley Children’s Museum and a member of its board of directors. Geron holds an M.B.A. from Pace University.

Liz Gewirtzman
Director, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM)

Liz Gewirtzman serves as project director of the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model Program (SAM), a collaboration between New Visions and Baruch College. SAM is a comprehensive school reform model that integrates the work of school improvement into leadership capacity building and succession planning. Gewirtzman is a distinguished lecturer on the faculty of the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College and also serves as a consultant to the New York City Department of Education's Children First Initiative. She has served previously within the Department of Education as director of operations for Community School District 2 and project director for a performance-driven budgeting initiative, which resulted in the development of Galaxy, an automated school budget system. Ms.Gewirtzman is co-author of Principal Training on the Ground: Ensuring Highly Qualified Leadership, and served as the lead facilitator for the first middle school cohort of the New York City Leadership Academy Aspiring Principals Program. 

Peter Goodman
Subject Matter Expert, School Support Center

Peter Goodman joined New Visions in 2006. He provides professional and technical expertise on school operations issues in the School Support Center. Prior to joining New Visions, Goodman spent his career with the New York City Department of Education as a teacher and district representative for the United Federation of Teachers. He has worked with school-based budgeting and management and was a representative on the New York State Education Department’s school redesign panel. Goodman has taught graduate education classes on small schools for the New School. He holds an M.A. from Indiana University.

Deborah Goss
Project Coordinator, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM)

Deborah Goss joined New Visions in 2005. She provides administrative and program support for the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM), a high school leadership development program in collaboration with Baruch College. She previously worked as a program associate at National Video Resources, a media-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to independent film and video, and at the American Museum of Natural History. Goss is pursuing a master’s in British and American literature at Hunter College.

Leonard Greher
Program Officer, Government Relations

Leonard Greher joined New Visions in 2003. He provides input on legislative and other policy issues. Previously, he spent 17 years as a New York City principal and worked in the Department of Education’s Community School District (CSD) 1 as an assistant to the superintendent. After his retirement, Greher continued working for the CSD 1 office as a grievance hearing officer, hearing grievances, writing decisions and representing the district at certain types of hearings. Greher holds an M.A. in education from Fairfield University Graduate School of Education.

Pooran (Ron) Gurcharan
Accounts Payable Specialist, Finance and Administration

Ron Gurcharan joined New Visions in 1995. He processes accounts payable and other accounting disbursements. Prior to joining New Visions, Gurcharan worked as the accounting clerk at Worldwide Water Technologies.

Brad Haggerty
Facilitator, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM)

Brad Haggerty joined New Visions in 2008. He assists high schools in implementing a leadership development program called the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM). He works with university faculty and school-based teams and leads weekly seminars. Previously, as a leadership development facilitator, he provided leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Earlier, he served as principal of the High School for Global Citizenship and assistant principal of social studies at Clara Barton High School, both in Brooklyn. As an adjunct lecturer at Bank Street College of Education, he taught a graduate course on instructional supervision and professional development to administrators in training. He was also a U.S. history teacher at Edward R. Murrow High School and a teacher at Sacred Heart School, where he designed and delivered lessons in world history, U.S. history and English/language arts to middle school students. Haggerty earned a B.A. in American government from Wesleyan University, an M.A. in education from Stanford University and an M.Ed. from Bank Street School of Education’s Principals Institute.

Marisa Harford
Senior Program Officer, Urban Teacher Residency

Marisa Harford joined New Visions in 2008 as a senior program officer with New Visions’ teaching and learning unit. She is responsible for developing the Urban Teacher Residency Program and establishing partnerships with participating schools. Harford has seven years of secondary-level teaching experience from the Riverdale-Kingsbridge Academy, the School for Community Research and the Rafael Hernandez Dual Language Magnet School. She was also an adjunct lecturer in English education methods at Lehman College. Harford holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.S. in secondary English education from Lehman College.

Andrew Hsiao
Data Manager

Andrew Hsiao joined New Visions in 2010. He is responsible for ensuring that master and analytic datasets are complete, accurate and consistent and that they meet the highest data management quality standards. He supports the work of the director of data analysis and applied research and other data staff in building and maintaining the infrastructure to support new and ongoing research and data products and to ensure that they address the needs of New Visions schools. Hsiao previously worked for the New York City Department of Education’s Division of Assessment & Accountability. He earned his Ph.D in experimental psychology from CUNY’s Graduate School and University Center.

Rosalind Huddleston
Program Assistant, Communications

Rosalind Huddleston joined New Visions in 2009. She provides administrative, editorial and program support to the communications team. She worked previously as an intern for the corporate communications department of The New York Times. She also served as a tutor and writing mentor for the WORD Studio, the writing center at St. Lawerence University, where Huddleston received her B.A. with a major in English and a minor in fine arts.

Raymond S. Johnson
Program Officer, Community Engagement

Raymond S. Johnson joined New Visions in 2003. He provides professional and technical expertise to parents and other stakeholders in schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Johnson previously served as director of the Isaacs Center Beacon Program for the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center Inc. Founder of the IMPACT Repertory Theatre, he serves as artistic director. Johnson holds a B.A. in sociology and social work from Lehman College.

Abigail Jordan-Nicome
Manager, Human Resources, Finance and Administration

Abigail Jordan-Nicome joined New Visions in 2008. She works as the right hand to the human resources director, managing all of the HR functions. Before joining New Visions, she served as a senior HR generalist and recruiting business partner at MortgageIT, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank. Jordan-Nicome holds a B.A. from SUNY Stony Brook, where she majored in social sciences and minored in child and family studies. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and the Golden Key National honor societies and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Jessica Knevals
Program Officer, Data Analysis and Applied Research

Jessica Knevals joined New Visions in 2008 as a policy and data coordinator. She provides advanced project and departmental support to the vice president in managing the Policy and Research Department and supports the work of the data and applied research team. She previously served as senior research assistant at the Academy for Educational Development and development intern at Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Knevals earned her B.A. in public affairs and sociology from Syracuse University and her M.P.A. in public and nonprofit management and policy from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

Martin P. Kopelowitz
Leadership Coach, Leadership Development

Martin P. Kopelowitz joined New Visions in 2004. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions' Partnership Support Organization contract. He previously provided professional and technical support on school operations through the School Support Center. A teacher for 14 years at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, Kopelowitz was later an assistant principal of administration at William Cullen Bryant High School in Queens. In 1991 he was appointed principal of Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, and a decade later, he was promoted to deputy superintendent for Brooklyn and Staten Island high schools. Kopelowitz retired from the New York City Department of Education after serving as a local instructional superintendent for a network of 134 schools serving all grade levels.

Nicole Kotch
Program Coordinator, Urban Teacher Residency

Nicole Kotch joined New Visions in 2010. She supervises and facilitates the recruitment and admissions process for UTR residents and provides general administrative support for the UTR program and New Visions' teaching and learning team. She earned a master of public administration degree in public/nonprofit policy and management from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. She holds a bachelor's degree from Kenyon College.

Heidi Dien Ludwig
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Heidi Dien Ludwig joined New Visions in 2006. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. She previously provided expert guidance to schools under the New Century High Schools Initiative. Before joining New Visions, Ludwig served as the local instructional superintendent in Region 2 and as the middle school liaison to the New York City Department of Education. During nearly four decades working in public education, she has been a teacher and administrator and gained extensive experience as a trainer and facilitator. She was named a Title I Distinguished Educator in 1998. Ludwig is also an author. She holds an M.A. in educational psychology from New York University and a certificate of advanced study in educational administration and leadership.

Stacy J. Martin
Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Administration

Stacy J. Martin joined New Visions in 2003. She serves as chief financial officer and vice president of finance and administration. Martin has extensive experience managing the financial, budgeting, accounting and administrative functions for a variety of private and public sector entities. Prior to joining New Visions, Martin served as the controller for Sportsvision Inc. She was a senior adviser at the New York City Department of Education, working with the chief financial officer on regulations governing school-based budgeting and handling negotiations with the mayor’s office on interagency financial and service delivery matters. Martin has also served as an assistant director in the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget and as director of operations for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Martin holds a B.S. in business administration from Long Island University.

Jason Mazza
Program Officer, Communications

Jason Mazza joined New Visions’ communications department in 2006. He provides art direction, design and project management for print and Web-based publications. His experience includes graphic designer at the New York Post, where he worked on the design and production of the New Visions and Citigroup college guide supplement, and project manager at Bank of America. Mazza holds a B.A. in visual communications from San Francisco State University. 

Carole McGowan
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Carole McGowan joined New Visions in 2007. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. With more than 35 years of experience in education, McGowan has provided literacy instruction to adolescents and professional development to teachers and administrators. She has worked for the New York State Department of Education providing technical assistance to failing schools. She also worked as lead literacy coach for Region 1 Network 9 high/middle schools and achievement manager for the New York City Department of Education. McGowan holds a B.A. in English literature from St. Bonaventure University and an M.A. in English from SUNY Stony Brook.

Taylor McHolm
Program Officer, Knowledge Management

Taylor McHolm joined New Visions in 2009 as a program coordinator in the Knowledge Management unit. He is responsible for providing a combination of strategic and technical expertise to foster school and staff use of an online community and collaboration workspace at New Visions. McHolm previously worked as an eighth-grade English/language arts teacher at MS 331 in the Bronx through Teach For America; a writing and English tutor at the Learning Skills Center at the University of California, Davis; a classroom assistant/teacher at Project Why (We Help Youth); and a classroom aide and personal student aide specializing in special education at the Early Childhood Learning Center in California. McHolm earned his B.A. in English and religious studies at the University of California, Davis, and his M.S. for teachers at Pace University.

Omar Morris
Program Officer, College and Career Pathways

Omar Morris joined New Visions in 2006. Before working in the college and career pathways unit, he managed the Citi College Bound program. He brings 13 years of experience in educational service programs, most recently serving as assistant director of educational services with Federation Employment and Guidance Services. Morris has also held college preparatory and guidance positions with Bronx Community College, the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, the Jackie Robinson Center of Physical Culture and the Institute for Community Development. He holds a B.A. in cultural anthropology from St. John’s University and an M.S. in urban affairs from Hunter College.

Jill Myers
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Jill Myers joined New Visions in 2008. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Myers has been in the public education field for 30 years, 24 of them spent with the New York City Department of Education. Her wide range of experience includes serving as a teacher of special-needs students in a restricted environment, director of the Clinton School for Writers and Artists, founding principal of Baruch College Campus High School and, most recently, local instructional superintendent of the Department of Education’s Region 9.  Myers earned a B.A. in education from the University of Florida, an M.A. in special education from Columbia Teachers College and an M.Ed. in educational leadership from Bank Street College of Education.

Marina Naumovska
Program Officer, Grants Management

Marina Naumovska joined New Visions in 2007. She is responsible for managing and coordinating the Fund for Teachers’ New York City program and two scholarship programs for NYC students, as well as for the fiscal administration of other grants. Previously, she served as a program associate in the teaching and learning unit, where she provided administrative and program support to the director and members of the teaching and learning team. Prior to joining New Visions, Naumovska managed the daily operations for the merchandising department at the New York Historical Society. She holds a B.A. in social work from Lehman College.

Leslie Paoletti
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Leslie Paoletti joined New Visions in 2007. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Paoletti was previously a senior associate at America’s Choice, where she provided professional development and on-site technical assistance and coaching to middle and high school principals, teachers and other educators in New York City, New York state, Connecticut and Massachusetts. She is a nationally known expert on math education and brings experience as a teacher, administrator, trainer and consultant in numerous schools and school districts. Paoletti holds an M.A.T. from Yale University and an Ed.D. from Columbia Teachers College.

Alexis Penzell
Facilitator, Leadership Development 

Alexis Penzell joined New Visions in 2009. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. She has served as a superintendent and local instructional superintendent for the New York City Board of Education, principal of Wagner Middle School #167, and founding director of The Salk School of Science. She holds an M.A. in education from Northeastern Illinois University and an M.S. in supervision and administration from The Principal’s Institute at the Bank Street College of Education.

Sugeni Perez-Sadler
Program Officer, Community Engagement

Sugeni Perez-Sadler joined New Visions in 2008. She is responsible for providing support and helping to deepen the organization’s community engagement agenda. She previously served as youth development specialist at the Office of Youth Development (Bronx Team) through the New York City Department of Education, community and family engagement director at Agenda for Children Tomorrow, graduate intern in the education department at the New Jersey Office of Management and Budget, education advocacy graduate intern at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, program officer at Alianza Dominicana Inc., assistant director of constituent affairs at the Council of the City of New York, and family paraprofessional at the NYC Board of Education. Perez-Sadler has volunteered as a tutor/mentor at Goddard Riverside Community Center’s REACH-Early College Awareness program. Perez-Sadler earned her B.A. from Columbia University, where she majored in psychology, urban studies and political science (magna cum laude) and a master’s in public affairs and a master’s in urban and regional planning from Princeton University. She is fluent in Spanish.

Keith Pierce
Director, Communications

Keith Pierce joined New Visions in 2009. He leads all communications, marketing, media and government relations efforts for the organization. His 20 years of public relations and communications experience includes positions within military, corporate and nonprofit organizations. Education has been his focus for the past several years, as he has led strategic communications efforts at the school district and state level. Before joining New Visions, Pierce served as senior vice president for communications and marketing for MicroSociety, Inc., a nonprofit education services agency. Prior to that, he served as press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Education where he played a key role in communicating the Governor's unprecedented investment in education; directed communications for sweeping reform in the School District of Lancaster (PA); and led communications efforts for Philadelphia’s Children Achieving Challenge, a $200 million school reform agenda under the Annenberg Foundation’s seminal nationwide education improvement effort. He has also served as a strategic communications consultant and trainer for school districts and education organizations nationally. Pierce holds a degree in Communications from LaSalle University and an accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America.

Steven Podd
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Steven Podd joined New Visions in 2008. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. He has decades of school leadership experience. He served nine years as principal at Nesaquake and Smithtown middle schools in St. James, N.Y. He was responsible for hiring more than 85 new teachers and noncertified employees. He planned, organized and set up a new middle school in 2004, establishing new traditions, teams, curricula and parent organizations. Podd has also served as an adjunct lecturer in educational leadership at Stony Brook University, principal for two years at Islip Middle School, assistant principal at Smithtown middle and high schools, district English/language arts and library chairperson at Smithtown, seventh- to ninth-grade English and drama teacher at Paul J. Gelinas Junior High School, and 10th- to 12th-grade English and film teacher at Ward Melville High School. He received the March of Dimes Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership in 2001; Administrator of the Year 1995-1996 from Western Suffolk Guidance Association; and Outstanding Service Award 1992-1993 presented by Three Village Central School District. Podd earned a professional diploma, S.D.A. and S.A.S.,  from Long Island University; an M.S. in liberal studies from SUNY Stony Brook and a B.S. in English/secondary education from the State University College at Oneonta.

Cristin Quealy
Program Officer, School Support Center

Cristin Quealy joined New Visions in 2006. She manages operational support to schools under the Partnership Support Organization contract. She previously served as development assistant at the Children’s School in Stamford, Conn.; intern at the Rumsey Hall School for K-5 classes; development assistant with Dress for Success; and public relations intern for the Bob Bomliz Group in Bonn, Germany. Quealy holds a B.A. in German studies from Wesleyan University. 

Patrick Rimassa
Program Assistant, Leadership Development

Patrick Rimassa joined New Visions in 2009. He provides program and administrative support to directors and leadership development facilitators on the leadership development team and in the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM) program. He previously worked as a substitute teacher in New Jersey and as a student teacher in two New York City public high schools. He has also served as the graduate secretary for New York University’s anthropology department and as part of the development team at Columbia University's Teachers College. Rimassa earned his B.A. from Haverford College and his M.A. in English education from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education. He is certified to teach English/language arts in both New Jersey and New York.

Erica Sausner
Program Associate, Development

Erica Sausner joined New Visions in 2007. She provides executive support to the vice president of development and external affairs. Prior to working at New Visions, she was a marketing assistant for the Alexander Street Press, a publisher of scholarly online resources. Sausner holds a B.S. in economics from SUNY New Paltz.

Nell Scharff
Lead Facilitator, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model

Nell Scharff is a faculty member in educational leadership in the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, CUNY – a partner organization with New Visions in the development and implementation of the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM). SAM is a high school leadership development program. Scharff co-designed and co-facilitated SAM’s first two iterations. She is the SAM facilitator for New Dorp High School, supporting a leadership team of 30. Prior to working with Baruch and New Visions, Scharff was a high school English teacher. She holds a Ph.D. from the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University. 

John Schembari
Facilitator, Leadership Development

John Schembari joined New Visions in 2009. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Prior to joining New Visions, he was a K-12 curriculum director at the American International School of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He previously worked as principal at Newark Public Schools American History High Program; vice principal at the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility; law teacher/curriculum coordinator at the Morris County Vocational School District- Magnet Academy for Law and Public Safety; English as a Second Language instructor at County College of Morris, N.J.; public school elementary educator at Dunellen (N.J.) School District; ESL instructor at the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program; and study skills consultant/instructor at Baldridge Reading and Study Skills in Connecticut. Schembari also has a background in public and international administration. He has varying degrees of literacy and comprehension in Japanese, French and Spanish. He earned a B.A. in international affairs/business administration from Mary Washington College, a master’s in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, a master’s in educational administration and supervision from the Graduate School of Education at Montclair State University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Seton Hall University.

Kendra Shumway
Development Officer

Kendra Shumway joined New Visions in 2007. She provides grant-writing and reporting services in the development department. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked as a teacher in California. She also interned for former Vice President Al Gore. Shumway holds an M.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Melissa Silberman
Facilitator, Leadership Development 

Melissa Silberman joined New Visions in 2009. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. She has served urban youth in New York City for the past 14 years, most recently as principal of Automotive High School. She is committed to developing and furthering rigorous career and technical education programs for American children. Silberman holds a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Fordham University. She is currently completing a doctoral degree in Fordham’s executive leadership program. 

Vicki Sittenfeld
Subject Matter Expert, School Support Center

Vicki Sittenfeld joined New Visions in 2007. She provides professional and technical expertise on school operations and budget issues as a member of the School Support Center. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked for the New York City Department of Education, most recently as the assistant director of galaxy operations, which is now used by more than 1,400 New York City schools and regional offices to enter and modify their budgets. She has held a number of senior budget and analyst positions with the education department, the Office of Management and Budget and the comptroller’s office. Sittenfeld holds an M.A. in public administration from Columbia University

Sarah Smirnoff
Director, Knowledge Management

Sarah Smirnoff joined New Visions in 2007. She is responsible for the Knowledge Management unit, working with New Visions and the schools it serves on knowledge strategies and systems and organizational learning. Prior to New Visions, Smirnoff spent a number of years at Learning Worlds, where she was responsible for development of e-learning and knowledge management tools, online classrooms and collaborative spaces. She also worked on the Global Performing Arts Consortium (GloPAC), an international organization of institutions and individuals committed to using innovative digital technologies to create easily accessible multimedia and resources for the performing arts. Smirnoff gained experience in strategic marketing and branding campaigns through Learning Worlds as well as in prior positions at news media companies. She holds a B.A. from Bard College and an M.A. from SUNY Binghamton.

Derek Smith
Director, School Support Center

Derek Smith joined New Visions as the director of the School Support Center in 2008. Smith’s experience includes four years with the Princeton Review’s K-12 division, where he served as executive director of sales and was responsible for managing the northeast U.S. region. In his prior position as executive director of program/project management with Princeton Review, he supervised the delivery and implementation of districtwide formative assessment and intervention programs in his region. Earlier, he worked for Kaplan Inc. as a test-prep center manager, K-12 director of supplemental education services and New York City Department of Education teacher certification, as well as a formative assessment educational consultant for school districts in the Southeast. Smith holds a B.A. in sociology from Dartmouth College.

Jennie Soler-McIntosh
Senior Program Officer, New School Creation

Jennie Soler-McIntosh joined New Visions in 2001. She is responsible for providing technical expertise to community partners and school planning teams. Prior to joining New Visions, she was the assistant commissioner for the Beacon Programs at the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development. Soler-McIntosh brings more than 14 years of experience in working with community-based organizations and health organizations on youth development and public health issues throughout the city. A native New Yorker, she is a graduate of the National Urban Fellows Program at Baruch College, CUNY, where she earned a master’s in public administration.

Barbara Taveras
Director, Community Engagement

Barbara Taveras joined New Visions in 2006. She oversees services provided to community stakeholders, including parent networks. Prior to joining New Visions, she served as president of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, policy analyst of K-12 education for the New York City mayor’s office and various positions in international and community development. Taveras holds a B.A. in political science from Pace University and an M.A. in Latin American studies from Georgetown University.

Michael Tobin
Leadership Coach, Leadership Development

Michael Tobin joined New Visions in 2003. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions' Partnership Support Organization contract. He previously provided professional and technical expertise on school operations issues through the School Support Center. Prior to joining New Visions, he served as principal of Susan E. Wagner High School on Staten Island from 1994 to 2002, capping a 32-year career with the New York City Department of Education. While at Wagner, Tobin designed a wide variety of academic, social and extracurricular programs that met the needs of a changing population and created a vibrant climate for the school community. Tobin’s success at Wagner led to his being selected in 1999 as Principal of the Year by the Association of Orthodox Jewish Teachers and Educator of the Year by the Richmond County (Staten Island) American Legion.

Roberta Trachtman
Director, Teaching and Learning

Roberta Trachtman joined New Visions in 2005. She manages a team of educators who create, implement and sustain collaborations to support teachers’ development as learners and leaders. Driven by experiences as an urban secondary school Spanish teacher and community interpreter, Trachtman has spent her career engaging with school- and university-based educators to change teacher and administrator preparation and practice. Prior to joining New Visions, she headed an educational consulting company and has served on the faculty of graduate education programs at the New School for Social Research, Fordham University and Queens College. She has been widely published and is a nationally recognized educational leader. Trachtman holds an Ed.D. from Hofstra University.

Stanley Turetsky
Subject Matter Expert, School Support Center

Stanley Turetsky joined New Visions in 2003. He provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions' Partnership Support Organization contract. He previously provided professional and technical expertise on school operations issues through the School Support Center. Prior to joining New Visions, he served as principal of the High School of Graphic Communication Arts, a magnet school, for 10 years. While principal, Turetsky and his team built a technologically sophisticated career education program and greatly strengthened academic education, resulting in a salary merit bonus for raising student achievement indicators above the 95th percentile. He has served as NASSP-certified assessor of educational leadership for the New York City Department of Education, educational adviser to the New York City Graphic Arts Commission, administrative trustee for NYS Skills USA-VICA and as an executive board member of the New York City High School Principals Association. Turetsky was named National Outstanding Educator by Skills USA-VICA, Person of the Year by the New York City Printing Teacher’s Guild and Principal of the Year by the Manhattan High School Parents’ Council.

Oana Vicol
Budget Analyst, Finance and Administration

Oana Vicol joined New Visions in 2003. She provides finance and budget support services in the Finance and Administration unit. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked as an accounting assistant at SportsVision, as administrative assistant at ZBI and in employee relations at Sears. Vicol holds a B.A. from Polytechnic University in Romania.

Chad Vignola
Vice President, School Services and Operations

Chad Vignola joined New Visions in 2007. He heads the School Services and Operations Department, which provides professional and technical assistance to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. The department includes call center staff and subject matter experts who provide support to principals and other school employees on a variety of pedagogical and operational issues. Vignola was previously the chief operating officer for New Leaders for New Schools. He also served as vice president of K­-12 Services at Princeton Review and as general counsel and executive director for the New York City Department of Education under three chancellors, including Joel Klein. As a senior member of the DOE’s leadership team, he was responsible for the planning and implementation of major education policy initiatives. Vignola holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and is working toward his Ed.D. at New York University.

Joan Walrond
Director of Human Resources/Administration, Finance and Administration

Joan Walrond joined New Visions in 2002. She manages human resources and facilities services. Prior to New Visions, she served for 10 years as head of human resources and administration for Action Technologies, a software development company in Alameda, Calif. Her other nonprofit experience includes positions with Special Libraries Association and the Association of Episcopal Colleges. Walrond holds an M.B.A. from New York University.

Hsing Wei
Unit Manager, Research & Innovation

Hsing Wei joined New Visions in 2006. She works on developing and managing policy, research and partnership innovation projects. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked for Echoing Green, a foundation that funds social entrepreneurs, and as a consultant with the Monitor Group, where she conducted analyses to guide strategic marketing, operational and financing decisions for Fortune 500 companies. Wei holds a master of public policy from Harvard University.

Linda Williams Bowie
Senior Program Officer, Libraries and Literacy

Linda Williams Bowie joined New Visions in 2005. She oversees the libraries and literacy initiatives in the teaching and learning unit. Her experience includes positions as library media specialist in public and private schools in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich.; Montgomery County, Md.; Montclair, N.J., and New York City. Bowie holds a master’s in library science from Wayne State University and completed her doctoral coursework in school library media at Columbia University.

Eadie Wilson
Senior Development Officer

Eadie Wilson joined New Visions in 2003. She manages a portfolio of corporate and foundation donors, as well as the development department’s prospect research and annual fund appeal. Prior to joining New Visions, she worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations and assisted with resource development, strategic planning, board development and staffing. Wilson began her professional career at Classroom Inc., where she provided professional development and technical assistance to New York City public school teachers around integrating technology into their curricula. Wilson holds a master’s in public policy from the University of Michigan.

Sandra Yark
Facilitator, Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM)

Sandy Yark joined New Visions in 2006. She assists high schools in implementing a leadership development program called the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (SAM). She works with university faculty and school-based teams and leads weekly seminars. Previously, as a leadership development facilitator, she provided leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Her work with five small high schools in the Bronx focused on the literacy skills students need to succeed in high school. Prior to joining New Visions, Yark was an elementary and middle school principal and developed expertise in the areas of literacy, math and social studies. She is a member of the International Reading Association as well as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Yark holds an M.S. in elementary education and a professional diploma in supervision and administration, both from Bank Street College of Education.

Alice Young
Facilitator, Leadership Development

Alice Young joined New Visions in 2007. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. Prior to joining New Visions, she was the Community School District 1 superintendent and local instructional superintendent in Region 9. Young has been an English as a Second Language teacher and a middle school principal. Her work in literacy education for English language learners and professional development models for school change is highlighted in Danling Fu’s book, An Island of English. In 1996, she received the Title 1 Distinguished Educator Award, and in 2000, she was the recipient of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators Supervisor of the Year award. Young holds an M.A. in elementary education from Brooklyn College. 

Iris D. Zucker
Facilitator, Leadership Development 

Iris D. Zucker joined New Visions in 2007. She provides leadership and professional development to schools covered by New Visions’ Partnership Support Organization contract. She has 32 years of experience working for the New York City Department of Education as an elementary school bilingual teacher, English as a Second Language coordinator, and assistant principal at Monroe, Taft and Morris high schools. In 2002, Zucker founded the Marble Hill High School for International Studies, which under her leadership became a model school with a 93 percent average daily attendance and an 89.9 percent graduation rate. She has also served as a mentor principal through the Department of Education Leadership Academy. Zucker holds an M.S. in bilingual education from City College of New York and an M.A. in TESOL from Hunter College.