Dr. Sandra J. Stein is an internationally recognized expert in school leadership development, well known for her rigorous, experiential approach to developing strong instructional leaders. As the CEO of the NYC Leadership Academy, an alternative principal preparation and support program serving the largest school district in the nation, Dr. Stein’s visionary method of teaching using problem-based, real-world simulations and job-embedded learning has contributed to the development and success of hundreds of current and prospective principals in New York City. Under her guidance, the Leadership Academy identifies, prepares and supports innovative school leaders who have the instructional and leadership skills necessary to empower teachers, students and parents, and to direct efforts to improve student learning in some of the City’s most challenging schools. Dr. Stein, who previously served as the Leadership Academy ’s Academic Dean, created the original design for the ground-breaking Aspiring Principals Program (APP), which recruits and prepares the next generation of New York City public school principals through a challenging fourteen-month standards-based program. Under Dr. Stein’s leadership, the Leadership Academy also runs two other innovative programs for novice principals throughout the City’s school system. First Year Support (FYS) provides one-on-one coaching, leadership development workshops, and networking opportunities for first-year principals. The New School Intensive (NSI) uses a similar program model, but specifically focuses on the unique experience faced by first-year principals opening new schools. In 2006, the Leadership Academy will expand its programs for novice principals to include support for the second and third year of the principalship. Dr. Stein’s commitment to educational excellence has driven her entire career. Before joining the Leadership Academy, Dr. Stein was an Associate Professor at Baruch College, School of Public Affairs and founding director of its Aspiring Leaders Program (ALPs). She has written comprehensively on the issue of preparing the nation’s educational leaders. Her two books, The Culture of Education Policy (Teachers College Press 2004) and Principal Training on the Ground: Ensuring Highly Qualified Leadership (co-authored with Liz Gewirtzman , Heinemann 2003) have received wide-spread critical acclaim. In addition, she was the co-director and producer (with David Loewenstein) of Creating Counterparts, a video-documentary about the power of urban and rural youth to transcend distance and embrace difference through artistic collaboration and was co-director of the Mural Project on which the documentary is based. Dr. Stein’s professional honors include a Presidential Excellence Award for Distinguished Service from Baruch College and Best Documentary Award from the Kentucky Filmmakers Jubilee. Dr. Stein has spoken extensively on preparing and supporting school leaders. Her recent engagements included “Creating Great Leaders” for the United States Department of Education and “Preparing Today’s Leaders for Tomorrow’s High Schools” at the Washington-based Alliance for Excellent Education. Dr. Stein received a PhD in Education Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University , holds two M.A.degrees from Stanford in Political Science and International and Comparative Education, and holds a BA in Sociology from Grinnell College. She has lived, worked, and studied in Latin America and speaks Spanish fluently. Dr. Stein currently lives in New York City with her husband.
Vivian Brady-Phillips is a graduate of New York University School of Law where she was a Root Tilden scholar and member of the New York University Law Review. Ms. Brady-Phillips currently oversees external relations, communications and special projects and coordinates strategic planning for the organization. Prior to joining the Leadership Academy, she was an associate attorney at Gladstein, Reif & Meginniss, LLP, where she practiced union-side labor law and represented low-wage workers in wage disputes. She has also worked as an associate attorney at the New York offices of both Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Kramer Levin, and as a program officer at New Visions for Public Schools. After graduating from law school, she clerked for the Honorable William H. Walls, United States District Court Judge in Newark, New Jersey.
Pamela Ferner joined the NYC Leadership Academy in 2004. Ms. Ferner is currently the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, and is responsible for building and managing partnerships with foundations and other organizations to support the Leadership Academy’s growth and development. She also leads the documentation and management of knowledge initiatives including sharing of curriculum and facilitation practices with other districts. Her prior experience includes leadership positions in higher education and strategic planning at the College of Wooster, University of Rochester, and Baruch College, CUNY. She holds a MSED in Higher Education Administration from the City University of New York.
George Foley worked as a teacher and principal for over 35 years in Brooklyn and Queens. During his tenure at IS93, the school achieved recognition as a “National Model School” for America’s Choice and a “Collaborative Community of Practice” for the NYC Department of Education. The supervisory team at 93 received the Performance Differential for 5 consecutive years. The school achieved an “A” on the Progress Report and a “Well Developed” rating on the Quality Review making the school eligible for the bonuses in 2007-2008. Mr. Foley was a mentor principal for the first four years of the Aspiring Principal Program. Currently, Mr. Foley trains Leadership Academy coaches and program participants in data-informed decision making and Children First Intensive.
During her 38 years in education, Ilene Friedman has been a teacher, guidance counselor, public school principal, district-level educational administrator, and university instructor. Ms. Friedman was named Vice President of the Leadership Academy’s Aspiring Principals Program after serving as program faculty for two years. In her current role she oversees the development and implementation of standards based curriculum and a pre service program that prepares graduates to take on the realities of the principalship. Prior to joining the Leadership Academy she was the principal of PS 40, a Manhattan elementary school recognized by the Chancellor as one of the City’s top 200 schools, and identified as an outstanding school in New York City’s Best Public Elementary Schools: A Parents Guide. During her tenure, she successfully focused on recruiting and developing a skilled professional staff, which led to increased student performance. Prior to her principalship, Ms. Friedman served as Director of School Choice supporting the development of small theme based NYC public schools and Director of Parent Education for District Two in Manhattan. She also served as an Education Field Advisor for Columbia School of Social Work, establishing internship placements and coordinating internship supervisors.
Claire McIntee joined the NYC Leadership Academy in 2003. She is currently the Vice President of the New Principal Support program and is responsible for creating, implementing and supervising a competency-based-coaching program, focusing on leadership development for experienced and novice New York City principals. Prior to her joining the NYC Leadership Academy, Claire had an extensive background in the New York City school system, supervising principals as a school district superintendent, leading an elementary school and developing expertise in curriculum & instruction.
Kathleen Nadurak has over 30 years experience in the field of education, as both an educator and an administrator. As EVP of Programs, Ms. Nadurak currently oversees all Leadership Academy programs including the Aspiring Principals Program (APP), New Principal Support (NPS) and the New School Intensive (NSI). Prior to becoming, EVP of Programs, Ms. Nadurak served as Chief Operating Officer responsible for all financial and other operations for the Leadership Academy. Before joining the Leadership Academy, Ms. Nadurak spent 20 years at the New York City Department of Education where she held a number of key roles, including Executive Director for the Office of Financial and Management Reporting, Chief of Staff to the Chancellor, and Special Assistant to the Deputy Chancellor of Operations, where she played a significant role in the strategic planning and implementation of Chancellor Joel I. Klein’s Children First reforms.
Courtney Welsh, a graduate of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, has expertise in leadership development, organizational development and strategic planning and has led workshops in these areas for non-profits throughout New York City. Currently, she is responsible for the Leadership Academy's organizational learning efforts, human resources, program evaluation and finance. Previously she was responsible for overseeing the documentation and dissemination of the Leadership Academy’s programs, for managing its fundraising initiatives, and for managing its in-service programs.