Emily Chandler is a special education teacher at a D75 school where she teaches a wide range of subjects based on the evolving needs of her students. Over the years, she has taught everything from ELA and financial math to environmental science. While many of her students were not initially on a Regents diploma track, her efforts have helped them achieve remarkable academic success–including an 80% pass rate in ELA. Emily attributes much of her success to her use of a project-based, cross-disciplinary curriculum and actively creates opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning outside the classroom. For example, she partnered with the Morgan Book Project to guide students through a thousand-year-old book-making process integrating ELA with art, math, history, and science. Even when not working with formal partnerships, Emily takes full advantage of New York City’s rich educational landscape, attending numerous workshops and leading field trips to museums and cultural institutions.

In his two decades working in education, Mark has worked as a program evaluator, an educational consultant and a professor of research methods and educational administration. He first worked at New Visions for Public Schools in 2006 when he supported the implementation of the organization’s first certification program for aspiring school administrators. Mark served as the founding principal of the Academy for Careers in Television and Film from 2008 until 2013 as it developed into one of the city’s most academically successful non-selective high schools. In 2013, Mark returned to New Visions as Vice President for School Support and Operations responsible for leading the organization’s partnership with the NYC DOE and the support of 80 partner schools. In 2016, Mark was selected as the president of New Visions. Mark holds a B.A. in U.S. History from the University of California, Santa Cruz; an M.A. in Teaching Speakers of Other Languages from NYC and a Ph.D. in Urban Education with a concentration in education policy from the Graduate Center of CUNY. Mark sits on the boards of the NYC Charter School Center and The Research Alliance for NYC Schools.

Pam is the Executive Director of the New York region of Facing History and Ourselves. She joined Facing History in 1998 and served as Facing History’s New York Director of Development and Associate Director of Advancement until 2018. As a key member of the senior leadership team, Pam provided strategy and vision for the growth of Facing History in the region.

Pam also represents Facing History at regional and national conferences and has led fundraising and programming efforts for organization-wide projects, contributing to the increase in the number of schools and communities served.

Before Pam joined Facing History, she earned a master’s degree in education from Harvard University and taught humanities and French as a middle school teacher. She was also the Director of Breakthrough Cambridge, MA, an academic enrichment program for talented, low-income, middle school students.

Dr. Betty A. Rosa is the Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York. Prior to serving as Commissioner and Interim Commissioner, she served as the Chancellor and Member of the Board of Regents. Dr. Rosa is a nationally recognized education leader and received an Ed. M. and Ed. D. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University.

She also holds two other Master of Science in Education degrees, one in Administration and Supervision and the other in Bilingual Education from the City College of New York and Lehman College, respectively, and a B.A. in psychology from the City College of New York. She has more than 30 years of instructional and administrative experience with an expertise in inclusive education, cooperative teaching models, student achievement, and policy implementation.

Shamilia Tocruray is Director of Education at Brooklyn Museum where she collaboratively stewards programs serving K-12 audiences, teens, adults, emerging professionals and an array of community partners. 

With grounding in liberatory education, applied theatre and socially engaged art, Shamilia’s experience includes over a decade of leading arts programming, professional development and mentorship across sectors. Her work with educators, organizational leaders, justice workers and wellness practitioners centers equitable practice and cultivating community through transformative experiences with art. Shamilia lives with her family in the Little Caribbean section of Brooklyn.