As principal of the International School for Liberal Arts (ISLA), Gicel Adon leads a diverse grades 6–12 bilingual school dedicated to serving multilingual learners, including many recently arrived immigrant students. She has developed and implemented a schoolwide vision focused on academic excellence, literacy, rigorous instruction, and social-emotional well-being. She uses data-driven decision-making to improve student outcomes, coaches teachers through instructional leadership, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and high expectations. She has successfully led initiatives that strengthen bilingual education, expand college and career readiness opportunities, and build meaningful partnerships with families and the community. Her leadership is grounded in equity, collaboration, and a commitment to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education.
David Cugini is the principal of Susan E. Wagner High School, one of New York City’s most diverse large comprehensive high schools and the Chancellor’s Arts Designated School for Staten Island. He has over 20 years of experience as an educator and has worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and athletic director. Mr. Cugini is a recipient of The Difference Makers Educator of the Year from St. John’s University and Canvas Institute’s Youth Empowerment Award.
Melissa de Leon is the principal of the International High School at Lafayette in Brooklyn. She joined the leadership team as assistant principal in July 2022. Previously, Melissa served as a citywide instructional lead for the New York City Department of Education, coaching teacher teams and school leaders to improve outcomes for multilingual learners and designing literacy professional development opportunities for affinity schools. Before that, Melissa worked in a range of teaching and instructional leadership roles for over 13 years within the Internationals Network. Her journey in education began in 2007 when she joined the International High School @ Prospect Heights as an ESL and social studies teacher.
Melissa was a member of Cohort 2 of the Principal Innovation Fellowship and will continue as a part of Cohort 4.
Mr. David Fanning has been the principal of A. Philip Randolph Campus High School (APRCHS) since 2011. Mr. Fanning is proud to have worked with the faculty to create a comprehensive College Office (Student Success Center), expand after school activities and internships, and continually revise and improve the school’s academy structure. The APRCHS school community enjoys strong support from The City College of New York, which offers students access to college courses and serves as a thought partner for program development.
Denese Farkas is principal of the High School of Service & Learning. She has dedicated the past 18 years to education, driven by a passion for helping every student discover and develop their unique genius. Throughout her career, Denese has focused on creating learning environments that inspire curiosity, confidence, and academic growth. She believes that all students deserve opportunities that connect their strengths and interests to meaningful futures. She is especially excited to expand career pathway programs that align with students’ postsecondary goals and aspirations. Her work is grounded in the belief that education should empower every student with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to thrive beyond high school.
Camille Gardner is a lifelong learner and dedicated educator who has served as principal of The Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts & Sciences (QHST) for the past four years, following many years as an assistant principal at the school. A strong advocate for QHST’s Teaching Institute Program, she has championed opportunities for students to study education, develop teaching skills, and lead lessons for freshmen. Under her leadership, the program has expanded partnerships with post-secondary institutions and K–8 schools on campus, ensuring students gain meaningful, future-ready experiences that prepare them for success beyond high school.
Terri Grey is the founding principal of Virtual Innovators Academy (VIA), New York City’s first fully virtual public school serving approximately 320 students across five boroughs. Under her leadership, VIA has built an innovative model centered on competency-based, AI-integrated, and work-based learning anchored by partnerships with Big Picture Learning and Epic Theatre Ensemble. A veteran school founder, she previously launched Harlem Children’s Zone’s first middle school and Brooklyn Generation, as well as the Edward W. Brooke Charter School. Terri holds an MEd from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has been recognized as a Generation AI and Cambiar Catalyst Fellow.
Maha Hasen is the founding principal of the Bronx STEAM Center, an innovative career-connected learning hub serving students from 10 Bronx high schools through a shared instructional model. A graduate of Columbia University’s Summer Principals Academy and a Teach For America alumna, she began her career in education at Fordham High School for the Arts in the Bronx. Throughout her career, Maha has been recognized for excellence and innovation, earning distinctions including the New York City Department of Education Big Apple Award, the Cognizant Innovation in Computer Science Award, and recognition as a Master Teacher. Under her leadership, the Bronx STEAM Center connects students to industry-aligned learning experiences, professional credentials, and pathways to college and careers.
Kirsten Larson is principal of the Marble Hill School for International Studies, a role she has held since 2007. Kirsten started her teaching career as a Peace Corps Teachers College TESOL Fellow at Morris High School in 1999. In 2001, she joined a team to help write the accepted proposal for Marble Hill School for International Studies, the first small school to open on the JFK campus in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, in Fall 2002. Strengthening college and career processes at the Marble Hill School for International Studies has been one focus of hers, and she looks forward to learning more about how to strengthen this area through the Principal Innovation Fellowship at the Bank Street Education Center.
Tina Lee is principal of El Puente Academy for Peace & Justice and has been part of the school community for 19 years. She looks forward to planning and creating more opportunities and pathways for her young people. She appreciates learning from and with her colleagues—other school leaders—and is looking forward to this summer and year. Tina is a proud product of the New York City school system.
Tie-Asia Mobley has successfully completed her fourth year as principal of East New York Family Academy. As a dedicated educator with 26 years of service within the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), she has proudly served as a science teacher, assistant principal, and now, school leader. As a Brooklyn native and a proud product of the NYCDOE system, she holds an unwavering commitment to equity by creating advanced academic pathways that challenge and inspire all learners. She firmly believes that through high expectations and a dedication to fostering an inclusive, high-achieving community, she can ensure that English Language Learners and students with disabilities are fully empowered to reach their highest potential.
Deborah Nettleford is the principal of Martin Van Buren High School in Queens Village, New York, a large urban public high school serving a richly diverse community of students from more than 20 countries. Under her leadership, Martin Van Buren has expanded its early college partnerships with institutions including New York University, Georgetown University Law School, St. John’s University, and Queensborough Community College, deepening students’ access to rigorous, credit-bearing academic experiences. Ms. Nettleford brings strategic vision and deep practitioner expertise to her work, with a focus on systems change, instructional leadership, and equitable school redesign. As a Bank Street Principal Innovation Fellow, she is working to transform Martin Van Buren’s career pathways into a school-wide model that connects rigorous academics to real-world opportunity.
Dr. Kayon Pryce is the founding principal of the Brooklyn STEAM Center, an innovative career and technical education hub in the Brooklyn Navy Yard that prepares students for high-demand careers through industry partnerships, work-based learning, and early college opportunities. With more than two decades of experience in education, he has served as a teacher, department chair, assistant principal, district senior director, and principal. He is passionate about reimagining secondary education to create equitable pathways that connect students to college, careers, and economic mobility. As a participant in Bank Street’s Principal Innovation Fellowship, he is excited to collaborate with fellow school leaders to develop bold ideas that strengthen teaching, learning, and student success.
Georgieann Ramsudh is the principal of Humanities Preparatory Academy. Georgieann is an experienced educational leader with over 18 years of experience in science and mathematics education, instructional leadership, and school administration. She has extensive experience working within Consortium schools to support the development and refinement of Performance-Based Assessment Tasks (PBATs), with an emphasis on mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and authentic assessment design. She has also facilitated professional development for educators focused on curriculum implementation, assessment practices, and instructional strategies that promote equitable access for all students.
Dr. Willayie Saygbe is the proud principal of the Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts (UASPA) and has served New York City Public Schools for over 20 years, including more than 12 years in school leadership roles. Throughout her career, she has served as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and district leader, with expertise in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and educational leadership. Dr. Saygbe holds an EdD in Organizational Leadership and Professional Practice and is passionate about creating equitable learning environments where every student can succeed. She is committed to fostering academic excellence, artistic achievement, and a culture of belonging that prepares students for college, careers, and meaningful lives.
Suzannah Taylor is the principal of the International HS@ Prospect Heights (IHSPH), a high school for newly arrived immigrant teens in Brooklyn. She works alongside the IHSPH community to connect classroom to real world, build relationships, facilitate project-based learning, foster authentic connections, and empower young people to explore possibility and realize their dreams. Her 20-year career with New York City Public Schools has included time as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal before serving in this role.
Suzannah was a member of Cohort 2 of the Principal Innovation Fellowship and will continue as a part of Cohort 4.
From an early age, Tyona Washington knew she wanted to work with children, and she began her career as a daycare assistant teacher while earning her education degree before joining the New York City Board of Education as an educational paraprofessional and later becoming a literacy teacher in 1994. In 2004, she was selected for the second cohort of the prestigious Mayor’s New York City Leadership Academy, which prepared her to serve as principal of Maggie L. Walker Middle School and later Canarsie High School. In 2009, she proudly founded the High School for Excellence and Innovation in Washington Heights/Inwood, and it has been one of the greatest privileges of her career to watch her students, staff, families, and community partners build a thriving school together. Along the way, she has been honored with the Pete and Carrie Rozelle Award and the Robert F. Kennedy Urban Education Award.
Nicole Winn is the principal of Bronx Career and College Preparatory High School. Nicole has been an educator for 25 years and has served the past 15 years as a school administrator. Her entire career has been in service to the students and families in the South Bronx. She is a passionate educator who believes in culturally relevant and responsive education that nurtures the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally.
