2023 Power Players in Education

Michelle J. Anderson was named the 10th president of Brooklyn College in 2016. She has led the college in launching new initiatives, including the Brooklyn College Cancer Center and the Healthcare Career Hub. Under her leadership, the college has expanded funding for paid internships, increased graduation rates, enhanced faculty and leadership diversity, and improved mentoring for both faculty and students. President Anderson has led the college through a time of excellent recognition, including being ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 “Most Ethnically Diverse College” in the Northeast every year since 2019, as well as being named as one of the “Best Value Colleges” in the nation by The Princeton Review.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education? 
I was inspired to pursue a career in education by the most gifted teachers I had. They taught me the power of the written word and the value of critical thinking, creativity, and the scientific method. They nurtured my intellect, changed how I saw myself, inspired me to pursue my own education, and then encouraged me to lead within it.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Public higher education deserves more support from policymakers. Substantially increased investment in public higher education would ensure a more equitable society, and it would have immense returns in terms of socio-economic mobility and lifting families and communities out of poverty.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
The pandemic taught us that we must work to be prepared for anything, nimble in response to new circumstances, and responsive to new challenges. The future of New York’s educational system will require us to evolve and innovate to best serve our students.

David C. Banks is chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation. Appointed on January 1, 2022, he is the former president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, and the founding principal of Eagle Academy for Young Men, the first school in a network of innovative all-boys public schools in New York City and Newark, NJ. David is a graduate of New York City public schools.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I never planned to be an educator, much less the chancellor of the nation’s largest school system. However, destiny led me to adore teaching and engaging with children. After law school, I started at P.S. 167, became a founding principal at Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice, and later at the Eagle Academy for Young Men. I was drawn by education’s transformative impact and the chance to help students achieve their utmost potential.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Literacy is crucial. It underpins all learning. Currently, our nation faces a reading crisis. In New York, 51% of students aren’t reading at grade level, with figures rising to 63% for Black and Latino students. In Detroit, a staggering 91% aren’t proficient readers. Policymakers aiming for brighter student futures must prioritize this. Collaborating with colleges and universities is vital to equip educators with the science of reading, ensuring effective literacy instruction.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
My goal is for every student to graduate poised for a promising career and financial stability, ready to be change agents. We aim for each student to leave with a solid plan for a meaningful life trajectory, enriched by practical work experience, early college credits, career credentials, and substantial mentorship. We’re equipping students for bold futures in unprecedented ways.

Vreneli Banks has been dedicated to the New York State Council of School Superintendents and its foundation, the Leadership for Educational Achievement Foundation, since 2006. She has assumed various roles, starting as a program assistant to program coordinator and assistant director. Since 2018, Vren has served as the associate director, a position that places her at the helm of all professional development and program services aimed at empowering and assisting school leaders throughout the state.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
Public education wields a transformative influence on the quality of life for countless individuals who might otherwise never have the chance to enhance their circumstances. My parents serve as my constant source of inspiration for their courageous decision to embark on a challenging journey to offer this opportunity. I find daily inspiration in the dedicated school leaders with whom I collaborate, as they make a positive and lasting impact on their communities.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
In today’s educational landscape, it’s imperative that we shift our attention towards nurturing the next generation of leaders, with a particular emphasis on those from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds. There exists an exceptional reservoir of talent within the realms of female leadership and leadership among people of color. When we harness and cultivate this potential, it holds the power to reshape the future of education.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
The future of education will be driven by advances in technology, evolving societal and cultural needs and a growing understanding of teaching and learning methods. Education will need to emphasize global collaboration and cultural awareness. The pace of which these factors are changing is both exciting and concerning. Flexibility, adaptability, ethical accountability and a focus on preparing students for an ever-changing world will be key factors in shaping education’s future.

Michael Benedetto represents District 82 in the New York State Assembly, where he has also served as chair of the Education Committee since 2019. During his time as committee chair, Assembly Member Benedetto has sponsored and passed historic APPR legislation and has presided over hearings regarding the admissions requirements of New York City Specialized High Schools.  Assembly Member Benedetto graduated from Iona College with a B.A. degree in history/education and an M.A. in social studies/education.

Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., is the eighth president of St. Joseph’s University, New York. During his tenure, Dr. Boomgaarden oversaw the institution’s historical designation change from College to University in April 2022, has been at the forefront of a successful reaccreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and successfully doubled the University’s endowment. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I began piano study at the age of three with a series of wonderful teachers who taught me an entire viewpoint on education, personal discipline, courage and the meaning of life. I was inspired to teach and return what I had been given. The idea of education being something more than just learning things is deeply ingrained in me, matching perfectly with the mission of St. Joseph’s, where we aim to educate the whole person.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Policymakers in New York need to understand that private universities are a critical part of the educational ecosystem. The Excelsior Program, and other forms of aid and support granted to students at our state universities, needs to be shared with all institutions of higher learning. I also hope to help them understand that many private universities cater to students who are most in need of aid, being first generation students who come from working-class backgrounds.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
The future is bright. Despite the current challenges we are all feeling, I am very confident that our educational system will survive and thrive in the coming years. The speed with which knowledge is growing is astonishing and young people need assistance in formulating their approaches to the complex issues of our time. Higher education can lead the way in this area, and be a doorway to a successful and meaningful career and life.

Lola W. Brabham is president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. CICU represents more than 100 independent colleges and universities in New York. Prior to joining CICU in 2021, Ms. Brabham served as commissioner of the NYS Department of Civil Service. Ms. Brabham possesses a dual Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the State University of New York and an MPA from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
Earning a college degree opened pathways for me to reach my highest potential, leading me to a 26-year career in public service. Today, I am president of a non-profit statewide association working to make higher education more accessible to all.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
The most effective way to help students is to invest in student aid to ensure that more students succeed in their pursuit of higher education. That includes identifying the most effective educational and technological advances to create more equitable learning environments and protecting the student pipeline into college by supporting programs like Liberty Partnership, STEP, C-STEP, HEOP and others to ensure students persist to graduation.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning Affirmative Action in college admissions is a major setback in efforts to provide access to higher education and its transformative power. We must remain committed to equity and inclusion and breaking down the institutional and systemic barriers that have long denied underrepresented students access to higher education. Our country has a much brighter future with higher education than without it.

Frances Bronet, president of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, is a distinguished educator and leader at the forefront of interdisciplinary learning. She is committed to NYC’s workforce development, joining Mayor Eric Adams’s Future of Workers Task Force. Under her leadership, Pratt became a key partner of the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island, and a partnership with Bank Street College has led to a design-focused public high school. She’s involved in various boards and holds degrees in architecture and engineering from McGill and Columbia Universities.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I have always been a learner and a teacher. My journey started during my adolescence when I began tutoring. My curiosity spanned the subjects of art and science and I loved school from studying to building social and political networks, from sports to student leadership. This combination set the foundation to effect positive change within communities and to shape the environments I inhabited. I became committed to impactful transformation through learning and proactive engagement.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Invest in our youth and have equitable educational opportunities for all. Ensure the fair distribution of resources for learning and living, including resources to support the arts and creative enterprise that hold cultural significance and are frequently first to be cut from the curricula. Find ways to enable our young people to take action on issues they care about, such as climate change, environmental justice, and sustainable development.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
It would center around learning, exploring, and understanding the relevance of an education. An appropriate education would be one that had meaning for each student through informed learning and doing. This would include education in climate literacy, civics, and historical context, cultivating responsible citizenship. Such an approach would steward analysis and actions that would have personal, community, and global impact.

Dr. Shari L. Camhi is the superintendent for Baldwin School District and immediate past president of AASA, the School Superintendents Association. With over 30 years’ experience in both the private sector and education, she has received countless accolades for her innovative contributions to K-12 instruction, including Education Week’s “Leaders to Learn From” and is frequently invited to present her vision and work on a national level. She holds a doctorate from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
There is no more important profession than that of an educator. We have the opportunity–in fact–the privilege to impact the lives of every child every day. The warmth, compassion and significance my teachers had on me while growing up, as well as my drive to impact the future were two factors that had a profound effect on my desire to become an educator.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Accountability measures need to be updated and reflect the needs of industry. Policymakers need to diversify accountability measures to reflect varied student strengths. Those who are good test-takers can use existing exams and add industry credentialing, while those who wish to demonstrate their strengths using performance based assessments should be allowed to do so. If policymakers update accountability measures, instructional practice would become more innovative and reflective of critical-thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration—skills desired by industry experts.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
New York must prepare all students for the world of work. Learners should be fully immersed in civics and community. The curriculum must be thoughtful and meaningful. Learning must expand beyond the four walls of the classroom to include “Leaving-to-Learn” excursions through partnerships with industry and professional organizations. We need to incorporate the teaching approach of “students-as-producers,” where learning is displayed through rigorous, relevant experiences and the schoolwork students generate showcases their understanding of concepts and content.

Seamus Carey, Ph.D., has served as the ninth president of Iona University in New Rochelle, N., since July 2019. Carey is a national leader who has propelled Iona on a path of innovation and growth. From acquiring a new campus in Bronxville, NY, and launching the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences to expanding extracurricular opportunities, Carey’s foresight has established Iona as a school on the rise with new student enrollment up nearly 30%.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I was passionate about education because of the transformative experience I had in college. But I did not set out to become a college president. When I was faced with the decision to become a president or not, I called my former Vassar College professor and mentor, Dr. Michael McCarthy. I remember him asking why I wanted to be a college president. I said, “I look at it as a different platform to practice philosophy.”

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
There is a general misunderstanding about what’s important about a college education. This misunderstanding is leading many to question the value of education. Colleges and universities are far from perfect. However, the value of an education cannot simply be measured by job placements. Preparing students for good jobs is critically important, but it’s not enough. We cannot have a flourishing democracy without an educated populace. It is incumbent upon policymakers to see the bigger picture.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
There is a real risk that systems of education are driving the creativity out of students. Until we can get beyond the bureaucracy of an educational system that’s driven by arbitrary performance measurements, we’re going to limit the potential of young people. Children enter the school system with infinite curiosity, but by the time we get them in college, we have to reignite it–which is why college is often such a transformational experience.

Kevin Casey currently serves as executive director of the School Administrators Association of New York State, a position he has held since September 2006. As executive director, he oversees all association services and operations, which include legal and labor relations services, professional learning, and advocacy. SAANYS represents over 14,000 practicing school administrators and over 7,000 retired administrators, including principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and coordinators.