Viva88

The State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching was established in 1998 by the Viva88Board of Regents to advise the Regents and the Commissioner of Education on matters related to teaching in New York State. The Board’s mission is to advance and support quality teaching and student learning in Viva88through initiating, influencing, and evaluating policy and best practice in the teaching profession. The Board is composed of 30 members and includes K-12 teachers and administrators, higher education representatives, public representatives, and one teacher education student. Members are selected to represent diverse perspectives, and serve four-year staggered terms, with the exception of the teacher education student, who serves a single two-year term as a non-voting member.

The Board has two standing subcommittees: the Professional Practices Subcommittee, which examines��issues related to teaching practice, and the Higher Education Subcommittee, which handles issues related to teacher preparation.

Board Responsibilities
The Regents initial charge to the Professional Standards and Practices Board was for recommendations on the following topics, as outlined in the Regents policy document, New York’s Commitment: Teaching to Higher Standards (1998):

• components of mentoring programs for new teachers
• criteria and training for annual teacher performance reviews
• certification requirements to ensure that teachers and principals are well-prepared to teach and to lead in New York
• models and criteria for professional development
• a Code of Ethics for teachers
• a plan to attract and retain certified teachers in high need schools.

The Board has made significant progress toward accomplishing this initial agenda. New priorities continue to emerge as determined by Regents Reform agenda, Department initiatives, and Board-identified issues of interest and concern.

Teacher Moral Character Cases
Regarding professional ethics and moral conduct, the responsibilities of the Standards Board are set in Section 3.14 and Subpart 4-2 of the Rules of the Board of Regents, Part 83 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, and Section 316 of Education Law.�� The Professional Practices Subcommittee reviews and makes recommendations for action on individual cases brought to the Board under the provisions of Part 83 of Commissioner’s Regulations.

Program Policy and Regulations
The Board reviews and makes recommendations on proposed policy changes and amendments to Commissioner’s Regulations and the Rules of the Board of Regents involving all aspects of teaching education, certification, and practice. ��In New York State, a teacher is defined as “any individual who is required to possess a certificate to work in a public school”. This includes classroom teachers, school and district administrators, and pupil personnel service providers.

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2025-2026��PSPB Board Member

Elizabeth Baird, Teacher Blessed Sacrament School Syracuse, NY�� Term Expires: June 30, 2026	Christopher Barrie, Administrator Little Britain Elementary School New Windsor, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027 ��
Patricia Bonfe, Teacher H.W.Smith K-8 Syracuse, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2026 ��	David Brown, Public NYS School Music Association Syracuse, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029
Brooke Burnett, Teacher Ithaca City School District Ithaca, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029	Natasha Cooke-Nieves, Higher Education American Museum of Natural History New York, NY Term Expires: September 30, 2027
Ricardo Colon, Teacher UFT Teacher Center Instructional Coach PS/IS 30 Brooklyn, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028	Juanita Dyer, Teacher Syracuse City School District Syracuse, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029
Steven Gamache, Public Deputy Director of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources in NYS Albany, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027	Julie Gorlewski, Higher Education CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Term Expires: September 30, 2027
Heidi Harlow, Teacher Paige Elementary School Schenectady, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029	Skylar Holst, Student Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027
Amy Hysick, Public Viva88PTA Albany, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029	Glenn Jeffers, Public Viva88United Teachers Albany, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027
Janelle Jemmott, Teacher Urban Assembly School of Music & Art Brooklyn, NY Term Expires: March 31, 2027	Tonya Johnson, Higher Education CUNY: Bronx Community College Bronx, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2029
Katie Kurjakovic, Public UFT English Language Learner Specialist and Assistant to Vice President for Education for the United Federation of Teachers New York, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028	Edwin Lamboy, Higher Education The City College of New York New York, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028
Katie Lobato, Teacher Plattekill Elementary School Plattekill, NY Term Expires: November 30, 2026	Angelina Maloney, Administrator Brunswick/Brittonkill CSD Troy, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028
Edward Marin, Public Aerospace Entrepreneneur Beekmantown, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028	Angela Pagano, Higher Education Senior Assistant Provost for Education Preparation and Partnerships�� SUNY System Administration Albany, NY�� Term Expires: June 30, 2028
Rene Parmer, Higher Education SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028	Derek Pope, Teacher Commack High School Commack, NY Term Expires: November 30, 2026
April Rose, Teacher PS 132 Q New York NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027	Cindy Walter, Administrator TST BOCES Ithaca, NY Term Expires: December 31, 2028
Amy Wells, Higher Education Dean Bank Street Graduate School of Education and Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Education at Teacher College, Columbia University New York, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028	Jennifer Wu-Pope, Teacher Candlewood Middle School Dox Hills, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2028
Patrick Wong, Teacher International HS at LaGuardia Community College Long Island City, NY Term Expires December 31, 2027	Coretta Wright, Administrator Schools Without Walls Rochester, NY Term Expires: June 30, 2027

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Elizabeth Baird

Membership Category: Teacher

Blessed Sacrament School

Syracuse, New York

Elizabeth Baird earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Buffalo State College and a Master of Science in Education from LeMoyne College. She began working for the Diocese of Syracuse in 1996.

Ms. Baird has been employed as a Kindergarten teacher at Blessed Sacrament School for the past 28 years. Although Kindergarten is, and always will be where her heart lies, she has also worked with students in grade levels ranging from PreK-3 through 6th grade. ��Over the past 10 years, she served as program director for the School’s Summer and school break programs, where she developed a series of thematic experiences that included art, athletics, culinary arts, and field trips. For the past 25 years, Ms. Baird has supported the educational and social needs of all grade levels through active involvement with the school’s after school program.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Ms. Baird served on the School’s Advisory Council, Safety Committee, and the Social Emotional Learning Team (SEL), along with the Response to Intervention Team (RTI).

Outside of school and the classroom, Ms. Baird enjoys working on and creating stained glass projects, as well as baking and cake decorating. She loves traveling, movies, music, and spending time with her family.

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Christopher Barrie

Membership Category: Administrator

Principal: Little Britain Elementary School

New Windsor, New York

Dr. Christopher Barrie became the proud principal of Little Britain Elementary School in August 2021. He has been an educator since 2001, serving students from Pre-K to 12th grade. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Principal, Assistant Coordinator of Special Education, and a teacher. During Dr. Barrie’s tenure at George Fischer Middle School, the school received a NYS MTSS grant. Due to his contributions as the building’s RTI coordinator, the Multi-Tier Systems and Supports was transformed to ensure that RTI worked effectively.

Part of Dr. Barrie’s career has been dedicated to organizing many professional development opportunities for building and district-wide staff, such as Professional Learning Communities, Response To Intervention, Special Education and Student Engagement, Optimizing WIN, Unlocking Student Voice, and data dives. He has served on several curriculum development and strategic planning committees. Furthermore, he represented the Carmel School District in the Dutchess County School Safety Committee and the Putnam County Preparedness/BT Taskforce. He understands that ensuring a quality education is vital to creating leaders in the global society.

Dr. Barrie earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, while pursuing education as a focus, from St. Bonaventure University. His Master’s Degree is in Educational Psychology from Marist College. SUNY New Paltz is where he received his C.A.S. in School and District Administration. Dr. Barrie most recently completed his Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on STEM education from Liberty University. In between receiving his Bachelor’s Degree and pursuing his Doctorate, in order to enhance his abilities to promote literacy in grades K-12, he amassed 12 credits of Literacy, received his special education certification, and became a trainer for PLTW launch.

When not working with his Washingtonville community, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, coaching soccer, and reading about past presidents.

Patricia Bonfe

Membership Category: Teacher

H.W.Smith K-8
Syracuse, New York

Ms. Bonfe earned a Bachelor of Science from Buffalo State College in Design, and a Master of Science in Art Education K-12 certification. She has been employed by the Syracuse City School district since 1994. For the first six years, she worked exclusively in Pre-K through fifth grade teaching the visual arts. In 2000, she began working at the middle��school level teaching Studio Arts and Visual Literacy. During��that time, she also taught for Syracuse City School District Adult Education at the Justice��Center on a part-time basis. She is currently teaching at H.W. Smith K-8 in Syracuse and is driven by her passion to use the arts to have students acquire the communication life skill of Hard Arguments/Soft Words in the form of critique.��

Ms. Bonfe has trained and served for many years in the Teacher Mentor Induction��Program. She has served numerous years on School Leadership Teams,��is a member of the Coordinating Committee of Professional Development for the district, and has been very active in the Syracuse City School District Fine��Arts��program, including curriculum development and student learner outcomes.��She has collaborated with Syracuse University Visual Arts professors and her students to create a permanent ceramic installation at the Dr. Martin Luther King library. She was an Adjunct Professor at LeMoyne College Visual Arts department.

Ms. Bonfe is active in the Syracuse Teachers Association, serving as a building representative. She belongs to Tully Central School District Parent Teacher Association and is a member of the Everson Museum of Art.��Outside of school, she volunteers in her community, is politically active in women's rights issues, and is renovating a 175 year old farmhouse with her husband. She is a world traveler and is happiest when spending time with her family, including her daughter, son and grandsons, dog, cats and chickens too

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David Brown

Membership Category: Public

Executive Director of Viva88School Music Association��

Syracuse, New York

Dr. David M. Brown received a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from the St. John Fisher University, an advanced certificate in public school Leadership from SUNY Brockport, and a Master of Music from Ithaca College.�� He is presently the Executive Director of the Viva88School Music Association (NYSSMA) and previous to that, the Director of Graduate Education at Le Moyne College.�� Prior to this, David was the Superintendent of Schools for the DeRuyter Central School District, where he served for five years.�� He also held the position of Chief Administration Officer, leading the non-instructional staff for Ithaca City Schools.�� David incepted the Director of Fine and Performing Arts position also for Ithaca City Schools and taught Vocal/Choral Music for 24 plus years.

His role as Executive Director is leading a large state organization for purposes of advancing music education across Viva88for its membership and students in member school programs.�� His role as President of the Viva88School Music Association involved leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. David is also, currently, the President of the Eastern Division of the National Association for Music Education. He sits on several other boards including the Viva88Rural School’s Board as the membership chair and the NYS STEAM Advisory Panel and Arts CAP (Content Advisory Panel).�� David strongly believes in helping learners become whatever their heart and soul lead them to become, and particularly prides himself on creating pathways for learners to develop systems where they can be productive members of society.

Most recently, he was honored to be a member of the Commissioner’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures. This commission embodied many of David’s beliefs, including creating a Portrait of a College, Career, and Civic Ready Graduate which reinforces his philosophy of teaching and learning.

David lives in Skaneateles, New York, with his wife, Dr. Melissa Brown, daughter and son.

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Brooke Burnett
Membership Category: Teacher
Ithaca City School District
Ithaca, New York

Brooke Burnett is a 3rd grade teacher at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. She has been with this school district for 20 wonderful years, starting out as a 5th grade teacher, then 3rd grade, then as a teacher on special assignment. Her niche is 3rd grade and she is happy to be back in her favorite place.��

Ms. Burnett received her Liberal Arts degree from Corning Community College. She was a dual major at Elmira College for Childhood Education and Social Studies. She then earned her master’s degree at Elmira College in General Education.

Ms. Burnett has served as the Chair and Co-chair of the Ithaca Teachers Association Social Justice Committee for several years. She worked with students at Ithaca College to develop the Student to Student mentoring program. This program matched college students of color with elementary students at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. The elementary students and their siblings spent Saturdays learning and playing with college students. Many of the former elementary students still have relationships with their college student mentors, now as adults. She currently mentors future teachers of color at SUNY Cortland for the C.U.R.E. program. She also helps lead all the student teachers from SUNY Cortland placed at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School.����

When she is not working with students, Ms. Burnett is spending time with her dogs, reading, enjoying nature and any excuse to go get coffee or tea!

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Ricardo Colon
Membership Category: Teacher
New York City Department of Education
New York, New York

Ricardo Colon is a United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Teacher Center Instructional Coach for PS/IS 30 in��New York City.�� He��attended Hamilton College and earned a bachelor’s��degree in psychology. ��His formal journey into the profession of teaching started in 2007 when he was accepted into the NYC Teaching Fellows Program.�� He received his��master’s degree��in childhood education that also led to a Bilingual Education extension from Brooklyn College.����

Mr. Colon’s first position was as a Dean of Students, but he found his niche teaching in a dual language 5th��grade setting with students of varied instructional and linguistic needs.��It was within this setting in which Mr. Colon and his students had the honor of being videotaped and highlighted on��EngageNY, a Viva88Education Department (Viva88) resource website used for professional development.�� ��

In 2014, Mr. Colon served on the Viva88 Commissioner’s Advisory Panel where he and other educators from Viva88gathered to address concerns facing teachers in their respective cities and counties. This panel inspired him to pursue��the avenue of teacher development and coaching.�� In 2018,��he joined the UFT Teacher Center,��which��is a comprehensive professional development program that promotes educator excellence and academic achievement for all students.����Through the UFT Teacher Center,��he has had the honor of facilitating citywide professional development to teachers to hone their craft in Advanced Literacies and the four Hallmarks, while also having a school-based site to provide development to the teachers within the��PS/IS 30��school building.����

Mr. Colon’s work today is driven by his passion to have students acquire the language necessary to be advocates of their own learning, communities, and self.����This desire creates his lens for professional development based on promoting language through culturally responsive teaching that is research based and focuses on both social-emotional needs and the biological science of brain development.

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Natasha Cooke-Nieves

Membership Category: Higher Education

American Museum of Natural History

New York, New York

��Dr. Natasha Cooke-Nieves is the Senior Specialist at the American Museum of Natural History’s Master of Arts in Teaching Earth Science Residency Program. As the first residency-based graduate program offered by a museum, Dr. Cooke-Nieves is a professor and clinical supervisor who teaches the Applied Learning in Informal Science Settings and Methods & Assessments in Student Science Research courses to pre-service teachers as well as advises and supervisors the MAT residents in their partner school placements.

Dr. Cooke-Nieves is a graduate of Columbia University, Teachers College (Ed.D), the College of St. Rose (SBL, SDL), CUNY: Brooklyn College (MSEd), and Vassar College (BA).�� At the start of her educational career, she was a Science Coach and Teacher at PS/MS 282, implementing hands-on learning and launching a science fair and family night. Afterwards, she was a Science and Math Instructional Specialist for the Children First Network in NYC, providing professional development for schools by empowering instructors and administrators with effective tools to accelerate student achievement.�� During this time, she also was an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College where she taught elementary science education, biology, and chemistry courses to pre-service teachers.��

Dr. Cooke-Nieves currently serves on the Science Content Advisory Panel (SCAP) at Viva88 and in the past was an item writer for the elementary state science exam. She is an active member of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE), serving on the Election Committee.��

In 2004, she earned National Board Certification and in 2010 was given the prestigious Milken Educator Award. As an educational researcher and teacher educator, Dr. Cooke-Nieves is committed to connecting cultural institutions to teaching and learning. She has presented at conferences and published her qualitative research related to culturally responsive and sustaining teacher preparation, pre-service observation tools, mentoring, and informal science institutions. And when not working at AMNH, she loves visiting other museums!

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Juanita Dyer
Membership Category: Teacher
Syracuse City School District
Syracuse, New York

Juanita Dyer received an Associate in Humanities from Onondaga Community College in 1992. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1994 and a Master of Science in Reading in 1996, both from SUNY at Oswego.

Mrs. Dyer has been employed by the Syracuse City School District since 1996 teaching second grade through sixth grade. In 2023, Mrs. Dyer became a Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) Consultant, where she mentors, provide classroom support, resources and evaluate new teachers.

She has been an After School Program Coordinator, Team Leader, ��served on the Advancement Via Individual, Determination (AVID) Site Team, Urban Mentoring Team, School Leadership Team and Culture and School Climate Team.

Ms. Dyer is active in the Syracuse Teachers Association as Unit 1 Director, Vote Cope member, and a Chief Representative. She is a NYSTRS delegate and member of the Coordinating Committee of Professional Development (CCPD) for the Syracuse City School District.

In her spare time, Mrs. Dyer enjoys spending time with her family and friends, attending, or watching football games, baking, and listening to gospel quartet music.

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Steve Gamache

Membership Category: Public

Deputy Director of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources in the New York Senate

Albany, New York

Steve Gamache grew up in the Capital Region and is a product of New York schools. Attending Fordham University, he studied English and continued to the College of Saint Rose, where he earned a master’s degree in adolescent education. In 2010, he moved to New Orleans to begin his teaching career, where he taught high school and middle school ELA for eight years. He also taught for an additional two years in a Boston middle school.

In New Orleans, Gamache worked in two turnaround schools, both of which advanced from an F to a C on Louisiana’s state report card in just two academic years. At the second turnaround school, he was a member of the school’s leadership team where he helped make decisions about school culture and academic programming, conducted school walkthroughs and observations, led academic coaching and professional development sessions, and helped foster the use of data in the school’s teaching practices. As a result of his own students’ academic growth and his work in developing other teachers, the Louisiana Department of Education awarded him the Milken Educator Award in 2019.

In 2020, he moved back to the Albany area with his wife, Diana, teaching middle school ELA for two years in his hometown of Troy. In 2022, after twelve years in the classroom, Gamache switched careers to his current role as deputy director of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources in the New York Senate. In this position, he works with individuals and groups from New York’s rural communities across a host of issues that include housing, education, and environmental causes.

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Julie Gorlewski
Membership Category: Higher Education
Dean of the School of Education
CUNY - Hunter College
New York,�� New York

Julie Gorlewski is the Klara and Larry Silverstein Dean of the School of Education at Hunter College – CUNY. In this role, she oversees programs and research designed to improve the lives of learners and communities through education.�� Her graduate studies were completed at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, where she earned a Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education and an Ed.M. in Elementary Education. She completed her B.S. in Secondary English Education at Buffalo State College. Dr. Gorlewski is a scholar educator with Viva88Permanent Certification in Secondary English Education and Elementary/Early Childhood Education.

Her teaching experiences span Pre-K through graduate school, and include interdisciplinary initiatives related to equity and diversity. In P-12 schools, she taught secondary English for more than a decade at a school where she established the English as a Second Language program, served as chair of P-12 English language arts, was Coordinator of Instructional Technology, and served as founding director of a high school learning center. In higher education, she was professor in the department of Learning and Instruction, and the senior associate dean for teacher education and academic affairs in the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. She also served as chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University, and faculty in Secondary Education at the State University of New York at New Paltz.

As an educational researcher and teacher educator, Dr. Gorlewski is committed to connecting theory and practice to prepare teachers to engage in critical pedagogies that are culturally sustaining and community engaged. She has collaborated to secure multimillion��dollar grants supporting these efforts, and has published over a dozen books related to instructional practice, teacher education, and educational policy; two of these texts were selected for Critics Choice Awards by the American Educational Studies Association. She has authored over numerous peer reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, and has delivered invited talks and peer-reviewed presentations at national and international conferences.�� From 2013-2018, Dr. Gorlewski served as editor of English Journal, the flagship publication of the National Council of Teachers of English. She has also served as co-director of the Equity and Social Justice Conference Series (2007-2016) as well as the regional Conference on College Composition & Communication held in Richmond, VA in 2017.����

Dr. Gorlewski is co-chair of the Viva88Professional Standards & Practices Board for Teaching and a Commissioner for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator��Preparation.�� Numerous groups and organizations have cited Dr. Gorlewski for her contributions to education. She was selected as a fellow for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Social Context in Education group, and from 2016-19 served as a section co-chair of AERA’s Curriculum Studies Division. She received the People Make a Difference award from the Cheektowaga Action Partnership, the Provost Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activity��from the State University of New York at New Paltz, the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the English Education Department at Buffalo State College.

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Heidi Harlow

Membership Category: Teacher

Paige Elementary School

Schenectady, New York

Heidi Harlow is a Math Instructional Coach at Paige Elementary School in the Schenectady City School District. Over her 25 years as an educator, she has taught at the elementary and middle school levels, working extensively with students in general and special education, as well as English language learners.

As a coach, Mrs. Harlow fosters a culture of continuous improvement and shared best practices in math instruction. To build teacher capacity in implementing effective instruction, she engages in ongoing classroom-based modeling, coaching, and mentoring and plans and delivers high-quality professional development.�� Additionally, she facilitates and supports Professional Learning Communities, encouraging inquiry, collaboration, and data analysis among educators.�� She also serves on her building’s Leadership and MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) Teams and the district Data Steering Committee.

As a teacher, Mrs. Harlow has been a leader in incorporating innovation and equity into her teaching practices. She established the first student council at Paige Elementary, empowering students to take an active role in their school. Additionally, she facilitated the creation of a student-made coloring book about Guyana, which was then distributed to all elementary schools in the Schenectady district. In recognition of her contributions, Mrs. Harlow was honored with the Passionate People Award from the Schenectady City School District in 2023.

Mrs. Harlow has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University and Arizona state certifications in Special Education and English as a Second Language, in addition to her current New York Certification in Childhood Education.�� She has served as her grade’s team leader, served on multiple school and district leadership teams, and is a graduate of the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute. She moved her family to Viva88from Arizona and began working in the Schenectady City School District in 2018.

Skylar Holst

Membership Category: Student

Stony Brook University

Saint James. New York

Skylar Holst grew up on Long Island, New York and attended school within the North Babylon School District. His time at North Babylon was shaped by many great educators, especially in mathematics, who helped form his desire to teach. Tutoring peers and younger students was his first long-term job. Skylar was a member of the quiz bowl team, varsity tennis team, and engaged in regular astronomical public outreach with the Astronomical Society of Long Island.

Currently he attends Stony Brook University graduate program as a Teaching in Mathematics major. After beginning student observations this semester, he is excited for student teaching next year. Skylar holds two bachelor degrees. One degree in Psychology and the second degree is in Applied Mathematics & Statistics. Additionally, he holds a masters degree in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. During his undergraduate time at Stony Brook Skylar was a Teaching Assistant and a Resident Assistant serving in each role twice. Skylar’s current employment is as a Neuropsychological Technician where people ages 6 to 96 can receive recommendations to address cognitive or other mental health issues; this includes first-hand experience working with the neuropsychologist who recommends accommodations that could serve as the basis for IEPs and 504 plans for students. Through this experience he has gained an understanding of the different ways students manifest their strengths and weaknesses, and how with the proper guidance, any student can succeed.

Mathematics is a long-time passion for Skylar and teaching others has always come naturally. Throughout his experiences at Stony Brook University, Skylar continues to learn the best practices in the teaching profession. He hopes to bring a love, appreciation for and a better understanding of mathematics to his students. Through the Professional Standards and Practice Board for Teaching, he is granted the opportunity to participate in the positive changes taking place for New York school systems. Skylar is very excited and grateful for his future as an educator.

Amy Hysick

Membership Category: Public
Viva88PTA
Albany, New York

A lifelong resident of the central NY area, Dr. Hysick is certified in both biology and chemistry and proudly teaches science at her alma mater, Cicero-North Syracuse High School in the North Syracuse Central School District. She attended Binghamton University to earn both her Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Arts in Teaching.��

While searching for a teaching position, Dr. Hysick worked in an environmental chemistry and microbiology laboratory. She performed chemical analyses on water, soil, and air samples; analyzed municipal drinking water; performed mold investigations and created mold remediation plans; and implemented a protocol for Anthrax detection. Though she loved her role as the technical director of the microbiology laboratory, she still longed for the classroom.����

Dr. Hysick’s teaching adventures began in the fall of 2004, where she embraced the role of lead learner in her classroom. She reads books about pedagogy constantly, goes to professional development sessions often, and completed her Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Learning, Instruction, and Innovation through Walden University. In her classroom, growth mindset and mastery learning are the priority, and mistakes are opportunities to learn.��

Dr. Hysick has been honored as the 2015 North Syracuse District Teacher of the Year, the 2017 NY State Teacher of the Year, 2018 California Casualty Teacher of Excellence, and 2019 PAEMST NY State Finalist. She has served on the NYS PTA’s Board of Directors for seven years in the role of Wellness Coordinator and as the Education Coordinator. Currently, Dr. Hysick serves as the Education Coordinator, and will continue to be a strong advocate for all of NY’s children.

Glenn Jeffers

Membership Category: Public

Viva88United Teachers
Albany, New York

Glenn Jeffers currently works for Viva88United Teachers (NYSUT) as an Assistant in the Research & Educational Services (R&ES) department. He works on a wide range of federal and state educational policy issues with expertise in NYS certification requirements, teacher preparation, and professional learning for P-12 educators.����

In his position at NYSUT, Mr. Jeffers regularly provides input to Viva88Education Department’s (Viva88) Office of Higher Education on certification policies and practices, as well as serving as a point of contact at NYSUT for both the statewide network of teacher centers and the NYS teacher of the year program. He is a parent representative on the policy board of the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center and a board member for State University of Albany at Albany’s Academy for the Advancement of Teaching, Leadership, and Schools.��

Prior to joining NYSUT, Mr. Jeffers worked at Viva88 in the Office of College and University Evaluation as a member of the Teacher Education team. He gained extensive experience in Viva88’s approval processes for teacher and leader preparation programs, as well as serving on accreditation teams for numerous national accreditors: Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education (RATE), Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).��

Mr. Jeffers began his career at the College of Saint Rose working as an Assistant Registrar and subsequently in various administrative positions for the college’s Education Department. He was also an adjunct for the Educational Psychology and Political Science departments

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Janelle Jammott

Membership Category: Teacher

Urban Assembly School of Music and Art

Brooklyn, New York

Janelle Jemmott��is currently serving as the acting Assistant Principal at Urban Assembly School for Music and Art in Brooklyn, NY, where she has dedicated over seven years to advancing educational excellence. In addition to her administrative role, Ms. Jemmott is in her third year as Special Education Coordinator. In this role, she focuses on identifying students who need additional support and creating a community that destigmatizes the special education classroom and learning experience. Her commitment to fostering inclusive classrooms ensures that all students’ diverse identities are celebrated and their educational needs are met with equity and care.

As an advocate for teacher diversity and professional development, Ms. Jemmott works��diligently to create mentorship opportunities that empower educators, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Ms.Jemmott plays a key role in building professional capacity within her school by teaching and mentoring other educators. In leading the special education department and as an administrator she creates opportunities for other educators to leverage their unique strengths and enhance their practice. Her focus on teacher development, particularly through mentorship, supports a collaborative environment where both teachers and students can thrive.

Ms. Jemmott's advocacy extends beyond her school community. She is an active co-chair of Educators for Excellence's Women of Color in Education Committee (E4ENY- WoC ), where she champions the importance of diversity in the teaching workforce and curriculum and expanding effective mentorship and coaching for teachers. In 2023, she was honored with the Green Apple Excellence Award by E4E for her outstanding work in advocating for educational equity. Ms. Jemmott continues to build connections with education leaders and policymakers, including her advocacy efforts with various education leaders and local politicians.

Outside of her professional work, Ms. Jemmott is a proud mother to an amazing son and daughter. She enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends watching comedy and action movies. Her personal interests include creative writing, listening to music, cosmetology and any activity��that fuels her creativity and provides balance in her life.

Tonya Johnson

Membership Category: Higher Education

Professor/ Chairperson Bronx Community College, CUNY

Bronx, NY

Dr. Tonya Johnson brings extensive academic credentials and real-world experience to her role as Chairperson of Education and Academic Literacy at Bronx Community College. Her educational journey began at Nassau Community College, where she earned her A.A., followed by a B.S. from Hofstra University. She continued her education with an M.S.Ed. and M.S. in Supervision and Administration from Mercy University, and later earned her Ed.D. from Walden University. Following her doctorate, she pursued additional specialized training, obtaining an

M.S. in Educational Technology from New York Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Students with Disabilities in Higher Education from CUNY's School of Professional Studies.

Dr. Johnson joined Bronx Community College as an adjunct in 2010 and transitioned to a full- time position in 2013, following a distinguished career in the Department of Education where she served as both an elementary school teacher and principal in Queens, NY.

Her teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in her prior classroom experience, emphasizing practice alongside theory in the Education and Academic Literacy Department. As an internationally recognized educator, Dr. Johnson has facilitated teacher training sessions on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and various locations across the United States including Minnesota, Buffalo, and Connecticut.

Drawing from her own experience as a community college student, Dr. Johnson is passionate about teaching at a Bronx community college. She leverages her understanding of educational barriers to become a change agent for pre-service teachers.

Her scholarly contributions include notable publications such as "Transfer and Transform: Bridging the credits gap from the community college to four-year colleges" (2024) in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, "Researcher and student understanding of classroom management problems" (2022) in Voices of Reform, and "Preparing paraprofessionals to become teachers: A study examining the effect of catalytic interventions" (2021) in the International Journal of Educational Reform. Additional publications include her dissertation "Grade 5 math teachers' experience with integration of technology into the curriculum" and a co-authored chapter "Understanding the attrition rates of diverse teacher candidates: A study examining the consequences of social reproduction" (2020).

As Department Chair, Dr. Johnson remains dedicated to student advisement and creating seamless transfer pathways between community colleges and four-year institutions. She actively secures grants to eliminate financial barriers for pre-service teachers, providing vouchers for fingerprinting, required workshops, and certification exams. Dr. Johnson measures scholarly impact through community outcomes and defines her success by her students' achievements.

Katie Kurjakovic
Membership Category: Public
United Federation of Teachers
New York, New York

Katie Kurjakovic serves as the English Language Learner Specialist and Assistant to the Vice President for Education for the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). She works with New York City PreK-12 educators around topics of curriculum, instruction, and professional learning.�� She�� facilitates a UFT focus group of��New York City��teachers that��meets��monthly to address issues that concern English Language Learners (ELLs) and their educators.����

Ms. Kurjakovic also��serves as chair of��the��Committee on English Language Learners��for Viva88United Teachers (NYSUT).����Katie��has��participated in��several Viva88Education Department��(Viva88) initiatives, including the Next Generation Learning Standards (NGLS) Review Committee��for Early��Childhood��and the Viva88Board of Regents Early Childhood Workgroup’s��Blue Ribbon��Committee Focus Group on Strengthening Early Childhood Teachers and Leaders.�� As a member of Viva88’s Professional Learning Team, she��provided��recommendations��for��the NGLS rollout and revisions to��New York State’s��professional learning regulations.��

Prior to��joining the UFT in 2017,��Ms. Kurjakovic taught English as a new language��for 25 years at P.S. 11, a��linguistically rich��K-6 school in Woodside, Queens.��She provided stand-alone as well��integrated instruction for multilingual learners, including students with disabilities.�� She��has��provided professional learning at��the school level as well as��presenting at��city, state and national conferences.��She received her B.A. from Barnard College and holds an M.A. in Teaching English��to Speakers of��Other Languages from Hunter College.

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Edwin Lamboy
Membership Category: Higher Education
Dean: The City College of New York (CUNY)�� School of Education
New York, New York

Dr. Edwin M. Lamboy received his B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, his M.S.Ed. from Lehman College (CUNY), and his Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University. He has been at The City College of New York (CCNY) since 2008, where he has served as Secondary Spanish Education Program Director, Secondary Education Department Chair, and School of Education Interim Associate Dean. Currently, he serves as School of Education Dean. Previously, he taught at Montclair State University, where he directed the Spanish Basic Language Program for seven years, and at the University of Central Florida.

Dr. Lamboy’s publications include four books:��Caribbean Spanish in the Metropolis: A Study of the Spanish Language among Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans in the New York City Area��(2004);��Temas��(2006), a textbook used to teach elementary Spanish; Spanish in Bilingual and Multilingual Settings around the World��(2012); and Spanish across Domains in the United States: Education, Public Space, and Social Media (2020). Additionally, he has published several articles on Spanish in the United States, the teaching of Spanish to heritage learners, and Puerto Rican identity. As Director of the CCNY Secondary Spanish Education Program, he advised undergraduate and graduate candidates pursuing grades 7-12 Spanish Initial Certification. His teaching experience includes Methods of Teaching Spanish in Secondary Schools, Teaching Writing and Reading in Spanish, Spanish Grammar and Its Pedagogy, Curriculum Design in Secondary Spanish, Teaching Heritage Learners of Spanish, and several Spanish linguistics courses.

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Katie Lobato

Membership Category: Teacher

John G. Borden Middle School

Wallkill, New York

Ms. Lobato holds a B.A. in Inclusion Elementary Education with a concentration in Spanish from Niagara University and an M.S. in TESOL Education from SUNY New Paltz. With over 24 years of classroom experience, she has worked across various grade levels, currently teaching Spanish at the middle school level. As a former ENL teacher, Ms. Lobato has extensive experience in collaborative co-teaching in grades K-8, with a focus on fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments.��

Throughout her career, Ms. Lobato has served as a Mentor Teacher, led professional development sessions, designed ENL curricula, and co-coordinated district-wide ENL family events. She has also worked as a cooperating teacher for aspiring Spanish and TESOL educators. Her involvement extends to numerous committees at the building, district, county, and state levels, where she has contributed her expertise to shaping educational practices. ��A dedicated advocate for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, she works to highlight these practices district-wide. ��

Ms. Lobato is an active member in the Wallkill Teachers’ Association and currently serves as the Recording Secretary. ��Beyond her teaching, Ms. Lobato is passionate about volunteer service, especially as a liaison for Spanish-speaking families in the community. She has devoted countless hours to helping families access programs and resources, always striving to improve services and foster greater understanding of the diverse needs within the learning community.��

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Angelina Maloney
Membership Category: Administrator
Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District
Troy, New York

Dr. Angelina Maloney is a superintendent in the Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District in Rensselaer County, New York.�� She has been in the field of education for over 20 years, starting as a chemistry and physics teacher as well as teaching middle school science and University in the High School classes.

Dr. Maloney received her Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She earned her Doctor of Education Leadership degree from Sage College, and Advanced Study of Educational Administration from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She received her M.S. in Curriculum Design and Instructional Technology from University at Albany and her B.A. in Chemistry Education from The College of St. Rose.

Dr. Maloney is on the Council of Delegates for The Viva88Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) and an Executive Board Member for Member of Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA).�� Additionally, she is on the President of The College of St. Rose Alumni Association. She is also active with the Sage College, serving students and supporting the Doctor of Education Leadership program as an executive coach and adjunct professor.

When she is not working with students, Dr. Maloney enjoys spending time with her family in their home in Speigletown, NY.�� She is also an active Viva88EMT who volunteers with her local fire department and serves on the Board of Commissioners.����

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Ed Marin

Membership Category: Public

Beekmantown, New York

Ed Marin is an Aerospace Entrepreneur living in Northern New York, with his wife, daughters, and son. He founded and consulted for several companies focused on the commercialization of advanced technologies. His leadership skills allowed him to nurture innovative concepts and troubled businesses by identifying opportunities, reducing risks, and creating executable visions. Being well traveled and having a diverse background provided the opportunity to hone skills throughout a broad range of markets and at an international level. His knowledge base extends to engineering, manufacturing, production, operations, commercialization, and financing. Ed led production and research & development programs for commercial and government entities such as GE Research, DARPA, NASA, the Navy, the Air Force, and Lockheed Martin. His programs range from carbon fiber and high temperature ceramic matrix composites for rocket nozzles to body armor and manufacturing of flight and space systems. Ed has been awarded patents in the areas of Renewable Energy, Aerodynamics, Nanotechnology, and Ceramic Matrix Composites.

Ed began his career as an Advanced Propulsion and Thermal Analysis Engineer at Northrop. There, he excelled in Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and programming. As an aerospace engineer, he performed design, analysis, and testing for systems such as the F-18 Super Hornet, B2 Stealth Bomber, Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV), and several space vehicles. He led the specification of methods required for hypersonic technology development - technology later used to perform the hypersonic inlet design and analysis for the Air Force PWI (Propulsion Weapons Integration) program. While at Northrop Grumman Corp., Ed held Top Secret and Special Access Required security clearances and was a pilot in the Air National Guard.

Mr. Marin’s outstanding achievements include having been named California Engineers’ Council Distinguished Engineer Project Achievement Award-Team Member for Temrok Ceramics Composite Products in 1999. He has co-authored several papers, such as “Low Cost Polymer Derived Carbon Fiber Reinforced CMC for Rocket Nozzle Applications,” “Electron Microscopy Used to Aid CMC Process and Material Development,” and “CFD Investigation of the HySet Inlet.” Ed’s Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering is from California Polytechnic State University. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from The Ohio State University. Ed was also a Soccer and Rowing athlete, during his undergraduate years. Ed has been a volunteer engineer for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Wright Flyer Project in Los Angeles, since 1991. His professional memberships include AIAA, EAA, ACMA, and SAMPE.

Mr. Marín is one of three siblings born to Colombian immigrants. He attributes his successes to the leadership, determination, ethics, and example provided by his parents, wife, and family. His diverse background, curiosity of cultures, and facility for languages, has enabled him to travel extensively worldwide for work and for pleasure. As a youth, Ed became an Eagle Scout, and continues to participate in the community as an elected board member of the Beekmantown Central School District, Champlain Valley Educational Services BOCES board, and as a youth soccer coach. He is also an advisory board member for the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and has chaired the NYSSBA Resolutions Committee for New York State. Ed has had the fortune of summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro and continues to enjoy the outdoors in Northern New York through travel, sailing, cycling, camping, and hiking.

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Angela Pagano

Membership Category: Higher Education

Senior Assistant Provost for Educator Preparation and Partnerships

SUNY System Administration

Albany, New York

Dr. Angela Pagano serves as Senior Assistant Provost for Educator Preparation and Partnerships for the State University of New York (SUNY). In this role, she participates in the review and development of System policy; works with campus leadership, faculty, and staff as related to the development and implementation of educator preparation programs; leads special projects; and serves as liaison between SUNY and a wide range of statewide and national educator preparation policy bodies and professional organizations.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Pagano was a faculty member in biological sciences and adolescence science education at SUNY Cortland, serving as Co-Coordinator for the Adolescence Science Education Program, and having acted as Assistant Dean for Accreditation.�� She also taught biology and special topics science courses at Chenango Forks High School in upstate New York and holds permanent Viva88certification in Biology 7-12.�� Dr. Pagano has a history of successfully gaining external funding to support pre-service and in-service teacher professional learning, including grants from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the Viva88Education Department, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Dr. Pagano holds a B.S. in Biology from the College of New Rochelle and a Ph.D. in Biology from Binghamton University.�� She is a current board member of the Viva88Association of Teacher Educators and NYKids at the University at Albany

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Rene Parmar

Membership Category: Higher Education

Dean School of Education, SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, NY

Dr. Rene Parmar received her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of North Texas and her MSED in Special Education from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee.��She is presently the Dean of the School of Education at SUNY New Paltz, leading a school that prepares educators and school leaders for positions throughout New York State. Rene has previously served as Dean of the School of Education at CUNY, Lehman College, Professor and Chair of the Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership at St. John’s University, and Associate Professor at the University at Buffalo. She has been engaged in developing educator, educational leader, and school counseling programs as well as overseeing doctoral preparation of educational researchers and leaders.

Rene currently serves as the President of the New York Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (NYACTE) and is an active member of national associations such as the Council for Exceptional Children, the American Educational Research Association, and the American Association of University Women. She is a widely published researcher in the area of mathematics learning for students with disabilities, educational assessment, and leadership for inclusive schools. She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences in addition to engaging in professional development for educators.

Rene lives in Pelham, New York, with her husband Ravi. She is the mother of three lovely daughters who are now working in various fields.

Derek Pope

Membership Category: Teacher

Commack High School

Commack, New York

Derek Pope is a teacher at Commack High school, where he has taught multiple levels of mathematics, including International Baccalaureate courses, for over 18 years. He also has over nine years of experience working as an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University, where he teaches courses in methods for teaching mathematics to undergraduate and graduate students. Besides working with preservice teachers in this capacity, he has hosted student teachers and observers, and worked as a mentor for new teachers. His work with high school students and preservice teachers informed his doctoral research, which explored the beliefs and knowledge of preservice mathematics teachers as they progressed through a teacher preparation program.

Dr. Pope is a National Board Certified Teacher as well as a NYS Master Teacher, and in the beginning of his career was a Teaching Fellow for the Knowles Teaching Initiative. As a classroom teacher, Dr. Pope is passionate about using various tools to teach his students to understand mathematics conceptually. He has published a book chapter as well as an article in NCTM’s Mathematics Teacher journal, highlighting examples of how interactive graphing technology can be used to help students understand mathematics more deeply. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Pope has led professional development experiences in his district, notably using the method of “lesson study” as a tool for professional growth. Dr. Pope holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Seton Hall University, an M.A.T. in Mathematics from Stony Brook University, and a Ph.D. in STEM Education from Stony Brook University.

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April Rose

Membership Category: Teacher

UFT Teacher Center Instructional Coach

Brooklyn, New York

Mrs. April Rose is a dedicated educator with a passion for teaching and leadership. She has earned her earned a B.S. in Computer Science from St. John’s University, a Master of Science in Elementary Education from CUNY Queens College, and a Master of Science in School Counseling from Alfred University. Currently serving as a UFT Teacher Center Instructional Coach and Computer Science for All Teacher for grades K-5, Mrs. Rose has extensive experience in implementing classroom instruction in an integrated co-teaching environment for both General Education and Special Education students.

With a background in education, Mrs. Rose has successfully utilized Responsive Classroom techniques to create a warm and welcoming classroom environment where students feel safe to express themselves and maintain positive interactions. This approach has fostered a conducive learning environment and enhanced student engagement.

In addition to her teaching role, Mrs. Rose has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and strong communication skills throughout her career. As the UFT Chapter Leader for seven years, she has collaborated with staff and administration to find common ground that can benefit the school community. She actively participates in collective brainstorming sessions with many stakeholders that include the PS 132 School Leadership Team, Instructional Leadership Team, UFT Unity Caucus, E4E Union Leadership and Advocacy Team, to coordinate activities and achieve shared goals.

Mr. Rose's commitment to professional development is evident in her role as a UFT Teacher Center Instructional Coach, where she provides tailored and high-quality professional development opportunities to teachers. Her experience as a veteran teacher and an E4E member allows her to offer valuable insights and advocate for teacher voice.

Passionate about staying informed and keeping teachers updated on policies that impact both educators and students, Mrs. Rose has been a strong advocate for teacher voice for the past 10+ years. Her dedication to education and her ability to connect with educators make her a valuable asset to any educational community.

Overall, Mrs. Rose is a highly skilled and experienced educator who continues to make a positive impact on students, fellow teachers, and the educational community as a whole.

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Cindy Walter

Membership Category: Administrator
Assistant Superintendent for Instructional and Career Education TST BOCES
Ithaca, New York

As the��Assistant Superintendent for Instructional and Career Education at TST BOCES in Ithaca, New York, Ms. Walter oversees the career and technical education of 8 school districts across the region, the PTECH high school, and Adult Education, the regional professional development team,��and other shared��services. She is passionate about helping all individuals use their intelligence to find their purpose and contribution to society and the workplace. She believes we all have a genius within us and sometimes we need a little help finding it!

Ms. Walter believes in the importance of teachers understanding the science behind teaching and being monitored on how to be impactful for students as a whole.�� She is a mother of 4 children with all different intelligences and a wife to a husband who is in the trades. Through her experience as a mother, wife, teacher, special education coach (bringing best practices to all students), literacy coach, regional staff developer, elementary principal, director of trades programs, executive director of all career programs (including PTECH and adult education) and now a leader of leaders and program developer, she has developed a deep understanding of the impact of teaching and learning.

It is vital to reach all students and staff to tap into their given intelligence. Intelligence should not be defined one way! If she could have an impact on one thing over the course of her career, it would be to impact teaching and learning for ALL students (and growth for all staff) to help them find the career and skills sets they were meant to utilize. This impact starts with engaging students in the essential elements of instruction to spark their interest in learning. Ms. Walter is a continuous learner, a coach and a mentor to help others become the best they can be.

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Amy Wells

Membership Category: Higher Education

Dean Bank Street Graduate School of Education and Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University

New York, New York

Amy Stuart Wells earned her Ph.D. in Sociology and Education from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Teachers College. For more than 30 years, she has worked as a journalist, researcher, faculty member, and higher education leader to make stronger connections between education policy and practices that foster integration and culturally responsive schools and classrooms. After working as a tenure-track and then tenured faculty member at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies from 1991 to 2001, she returned to Teachers College, Columbia University for 22 years before joining Bank Street Graduate School of Education as the Dean. From 2016–2023, she was the executive director of Reimagining Education: Teaching, Learning and Leading for a Racially Just Society Summer Institute (RESI) at TC. She also served as the executive director of TC’s Reimagining Education Advanced Certificate Program, the Sociology and Education Program, and a non- profit called The Public Good: A Public School Support Organization (PSSO).

From 2018–19, she was President of the 25,000-member American Educational Research Association (AERA). Wells is a corresponding fellow of the British National Academy, a member of the National Academy of Education, an AERA fellow, and a senior fellow of the Learning Policy Institute. As the author and editor of five books and more than 50 articles and book chapters, as well as dozens of research reports and articles for the popular press, her research examines the intersection of racial inequality and educational policies, including school desegregation, school choice policy, and efforts to implement antiracist, culturally responsive reforms in schools.

She became the Dean of Bank Street’s Graduate School in August 2023, where she is responsible for leading, growing, and strengthening a prominent graduate school of teacher education, educational leadership, child life specialists and museum leadership. She oversees the enrollment, academics, research, fundraising, and outreach of the Graduate School of Education across two departments - more than 50 degree and certificate programs.

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Jennifer Wu-Pope

Membership Category: Teacher

Candlewood Middle School

Dix Hills, New York

Jennifer Wu-Pope��is a world language teacher at Half Hollow Hills School District, where she has been teaching for over a decade. During her time there, she has taught Mandarin Chinese and French at both the middle school and high school levels. She has also hosted preservice teacher candidates and student observers from local universities.�� In addition to teaching, she was previously a research assistant on the Design-Based Implementation Research team of Harvard’s Democratic Knowledge Project. In that role, she worked on curriculum mapping and supported the coding and analysis of school, youth, and family engagement data on civic learning. Currently, she is an advisor for Viva88’s Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks Program. ��

Ms. Wu-Pope is an alumna of the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Semester Research Program. Her research focused on Singapore’s Character and Citizenship Education Curriculum and the applicability of its approaches for teaching global competence within the U.S. world language education context. This work was published in ACTFL’s practitioner publication, The Language Educator.

She also wrote an article on research-practice partnerships that was published in Phi Delta Kappan, and co-authored a book chapter in Advancing a New Social Contract for Education.�� She received her Ed.M. in Education Policy and Analysis from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with a concentration in Global, International, and Comparative Education. She earned her M.S.Ed. in Literacy Education from Queens College, and her B.A. in Linguistics and French from Stony Brook University. ��

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Patrick Wong
Membership Category: Teacher
International High School at LaGuardia Community College
New York, New York

Mr. Wong received his B.S. and M.A.T. in Mathematics from Stony Brook University and is dually certified in Mathematics and Special Education.��He has been a mathematics teacher at the International High School at LaGuardia Community College for the past thirteen years.��He was the Course Coordinator Assistant who supervised teaching assistants and helped improve the quality of the remedial program in the Math Department.��

Prior to becoming a high school teacher, Mr. Wong had taught introductory level math courses at Stony Brook University, including Elements of Problem Solving and Calculus courses to high school students and incoming freshman. He also worked closely with the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program.

Mr. Wong is passionate about helping students who come from diverse backgrounds.��At his current school, where all students are English language learners, he has held different leadership positions such as Coordinator of Student Activities, Junior Portfolio Coordinator, and Personnel Committee Chair. As a veteran math teacher in the school, he also shares his expertise and best practices with his colleagues and new teachers.�� He also has provided professional development workshops to faculty members.��Mr. Wong is currently a Master Teacher in the Math for America fellowship.��

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Coretta Wright
Membership Category: Administrator
Schools Without Walls
Rochester, New York

Coretta Wright is the Principal of School Without Walls (SWW) High School in Rochester, NY. In its 50-year existence, Coretta is only the fourth Principal the school has ever had. In her 25 years of service as a teacher and administrator at both the middle and high school levels, she has served on numerous boards and committees including the Careers in Administration and Supervision Panel, which oversees mentors and professional development for new administrators. For the past three years, she has also served on the School Administrators Association of Viva88(SAANYS) Governmental Relations Committee helping to influence politicians on educational matters.

Ms. Wright holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Hampton University. After working in the business field for a short period, she realized that her heart was not in it, so she made the decision to return to school and become a teacher. She received her Masters in Education from SUNY Brockport in 1999 and a Masters in Educational Administration in 2002.

In the company of very few, Ms. Wright has had the unique experience of working in both traditional and non-traditional schools where beliefs about best instructional practices and student assessment vary greatly. SWW has a philosophy that de-emphasizes the use of high stakes standardized testing. Having spent many years in traditional schools where Regents exams and other high stakes exams are used as measurements of student learning and graduation readiness, Ms. Wright has the knowledge and perspective to be able to discuss best practices and teacher training from multiple lenses. She regularly facilitates professional development for her staff assisting them in improving their practice

Agenda May 2025

• NYS Mentoring Standards and Program Guidance 5/22/2023
• Teacher Leadership Final Adopted 11/17/2017
• Professional Learning Plan - Guidance Document