2023 Power Players in Education

Laura Sparks is president of The Cooper Union and a recognized leader in higher education, community development, philanthropy, and finance. She is the college’s 13th president and the first woman to hold the position. With her leadership, Cooper is pursuing an ambitious plan toward full-tuition scholarships for all undergraduates. To that end, Cooper has held tuition flat for five consecutive years, increased scholarship levels–on average, nearly 80% of tuition is covered for all students–and renewed investment in academic and student life.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I have devoted my career to leveling the playing field, to advancing equal access to opportunity for everyone, and education is one of the most equalizing forces. My prior work focused on areas such as increasing access to responsible financial services in underserved communities, expanding the reach of arts organizations, and improving the quality of preschool and K-12 education. These experiences pointed me towards Cooper’s mission of removing barriers to higher education, a mission that dates to 1859 and one I am proud to steward today.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
As president of a college with outstanding schools of art, architecture, and engineering, I have a front-row seat to the power of what happens at the intersection of the arts and sciences and advocate for citywide efforts to provide all K-12 students with high-quality STEAM opportunities. Developing a pipeline of future STEAM and tech-savvy New York City workers that is representative of the city’s gender, economic, and racial diversity is central to powering our great city and to creating a more equitable economy.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
Any education system should provide increased opportunities to students from traditionally underserved populations, something Peter Cooper advocated for almost 200 years ago. The future of effective education, at both the K-12 and higher education levels, may lie in how we best utilize technology to supplement traditional teaching and learning approaches to better tailor programs to individual students. While it has been historically efficient to apply a one-size-fits-all approach, we can better educate students by understanding their learning styles, building upon their strengths, targeting areas for improvement, and finding ways to better connect them to their learning.

Senator Stavisky is the first woman from Queens elected to the State Senate and the first woman to chair the Higher Education Committee. Prior to serving in the Senate, Mrs. Stavisky taught social studies in NYC high schools. Currently, Senator Stavisky serves as vice chairwoman of the Majority Conference. In addition, she serves on the education and finance committees. She is a trustee of the CUNY Construction Fund and treasurer of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I became a high school teacher because of my interest in the social sciences and a desire to work with young people. As for my current position, I was encouraged to run for the State Senate because of my involvement with community organizations and with educational groups.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
As a policymaker, I believe we must continue to support education from pre-kindergarten through post graduate. We must keep higher education accessible, affordable and of high quality.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?

• There are disturbing trends in higher education caused by Supreme Court decisions and we are reviewing “work around” options consistent with these decisions.
•  Attempt to deal with students’ social issues such as mental health, food insecurity, etc.
• Shift costs of college education from students to the city and state. We have not increased tuition at CUNY or SUNY while I have chaired the committee. 
• Use of technology, especially A.I.

Donna Stelling-Gurnett is the president of the Association of Private Colleges (APC), an organization that represents 11 degree-granting proprietary and non-profit colleges in New York and advocates for their interests before state and federal government officials. Prior to heading APC, Donna led both statewide and national associations in New York and Massachusetts. She also serves on the board of the Empire State Society of Association Executives where she heads the group’s programming committee.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I have always believed that education and life-long learning are the keys to an active and fulfilling life. Since I began my work with APC 10 years ago, I have seen first-hand the impact that education can have on people’s lives. That is why I have found advocating for financial aid programs like PELL and TAP to be so rewarding, because our work is having a direct impact on first-generation students and other under-represented groups.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Even though we’re a few years past the COVID pandemic, the psychological and economic effects continue to impact our students. Financial aid and mental health support are by far the two most important areas that need additional attention from policymakers. That is why we at APC spend considerable time meeting with our elected officials and having them meet our students so they can hear first-hand what is happening on the ground.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
I believe that the future of New York’s education system is bright. We are fortunate to have a diverse and well-regulated system, that is really an example for the entire country. Our state has a rich history of treating all colleges equally, from public universities to private and proprietary colleges. New York lawmakers have established a well-regulated environment where all institutions can partner with the state to ensure strong student outcomes across all sectors.

Tania Tetlow is the first woman and layperson to serve as president of Fordham University, having previously served as president of Loyola New Orleans. A law professor, Tetlow began her academic career at Tulane University, directing the Domestic Violence Law Clinic and later as senior vice president and chief of staff. Prior to academia, she was an assistant U.S. attorney. She earned her undergraduate degree from Tulane and a J.D. from Harvard Law.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I love the force multiplier of teaching, the chance to inspire and train generations of students who will go out and change the world. Our teaching creates citizens in the broadest sense. It supports democracy and engagement. It reinforces values and ethics. Higher education becomes one of the gateways of opportunity, the chance to invest in talent the world might otherwise squander. We fuel American global competitiveness. We make meritocracy real.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
We need to remember that higher education is a public good, not just a private benefit. We need to remember the kind of economic and social impact created by the GI bill, and how quickly that investment paid back the taxpayers. Every dollar New York invests in her students’ opportunities benefits the state for a generation to come.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
At a moment when COVID set back decades of progress in educational opportunity, we need to redouble our efforts to create meaningful access. From fully supporting public institutions to allowing students to seek out private institutions that will best support them, I hope that New York will continue to stand ahead. Investing in education is a tide that lifts all boats.

April Kim Tonin is responsible for the Frick’s education programs serving the general public, schools, higher education and communities. Her department produces popular free evening events and expands engagement with local partners. Tonin was previously the Museum of Arts and Design’s education deputy director. Prior to MAD, she was the director of visual education at the Nightingale-Bamford School and held various roles at MoMA. Tonin is an illustrator with work in private and public collections.

Gayle has lifted GO–an organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap in NYC–to its next level of impact for 700 public school students: expanding to Brooklyn, launching a successful remote learning model during the pandemic, and charting a path to serving 1,000 students annually. Gayle began her career as a Teach for America corps member, and, prior to GO, created a comprehensive program connecting business leaders and public schools at PENCIL.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
Education is opportunity in this country, yet there is so much inequity built into the system. I strongly believe that every student deserves equal access to a high-quality education and have always wanted to play a role in making that happen.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
I believe policymakers need to focus on supporting high quality instruction, keeping class sizes small, and investing in programs and approaches that support students’ social-emotional well-being.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
My hope for New York City’s education system is that the achievements that are happening at the individual school level can be shared and replicated more widely. There is so much to be learned from the wonderful teaching and learning happening in communities across the city!

Dennis started his long career in education and public service as a kindergarten teacher. He joined the library after having led transformational change for 1.1 million students as NYC schools chancellor and as deputy mayor for education and community development under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. In 2022, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Dennis as chair of the New York City Districting Commission, to oversee the yearlong process of redrawing the boundaries of all 52 Council districts.

Randi Weingarten is president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, which represents teachers; paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; higher education faculty and staff; nurses and other health care professionals; local, state and federal government employees; and early childhood educators. The AFT is dedicated to the belief that every person in America deserves the freedom to thrive, fueled by opportunity, justice and a voice in our democracy.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Helping kids learn and returning joy to the classroom is my laser focus. Policymakers at every level need to tackle the “three Ls” – learning loss, loneliness and literacy. Rather than wage culture wars, let’s secure the resources for kids to recover and thrive. Rather than ban books, let’s give books away. Instead of censoring history, let’s teach honest and accurate history. Rather than division and discord, let’s create real solutions for kids and communities.

Dr. Janice Weinman, CEO of Education Through Music, has an accomplished career spanning over five decades in the top leadership position of international and national not-for-profit organizations. Her expertise and experience center around education, women’s issues, the arts and humanitarian outreach and relief. During her career, she participated in the reauthorization of national education legislation, the establishment of statewide educational assessment programs, ground-breaking work on single-sex education and educational equity.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
My own education in the public schools of NY inspired me to bring the best of the system to others. Having attended the High School of Music and Art, I learned from people from every background with many different talents. The heterogeneity of our student body provided an opportunity to broaden my understanding of and skills in communicating with others and my commitment to ensure access to and quality of education for all.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
The first is a commitment to high standards for all students. Too often the system tends to differentiate goals for students based on their initial performance rather than offer opportunities for development toward the most demanding outcomes. Secondly, policymakers need to understand and support programs in arts education. Research has clearly shown that the arts enhance the motivation, attention, attendance, retention and academic performance of students from all backgrounds.

What do you think the future of New York’s education system looks like?
The future of New York’s education system will involve greater use of technology, not just in terms of data access and word processing, per se, but in terms of building creativity, critical thinking, independent problem solving and, in other respects, project collaboration. Better connections will need to be made between school and home in order to synchronize what students do out of the classroom and after school.

As Marist’s fifth president, Dr. Kevin Weinman draws on his financial and administrative leadership learned in the private and higher education sectors as a former CFO at Amherst College and in corporate finance and marketing senior roles. Under his leadership, Marist’s new strategic plan calls for improving the world through education, setting priorities to make education accessible to a broader range of students, delivering rich education experiences, and fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
During my time in accounting and finance roles in the private sector, I was always drawn back to higher education, ultimately pursuing a master’s and a Ph.D. in history and teaching college courses. As such, I believe deeply in the powerful blend of liberal arts and pre-professional education. At Marist, I encourage our students to explore their interests, make connections, and be confident they will be ready to make a positive mark on the world.

What aspects of education do you believe need more support from policymakers?
Talent exists everywhere. It’s both a moral imperative and a societal need to enhance access to quality education. At Marist, we do all we can to contain costs and meet the financial needs of our most talented applicants. Federal and state policymakers can play an important role as well by supporting programs that reduce the costs of college and encourage more students to pursue a college degree. It remains the best path to social mobility.