Meet our Fellows

Principals and system leaders are more than the engine of education in Philadelphia—they are the heart of it. Our program participants work tirelessly to do what is right for the children whom they serve, and their dedication is felt across communities throughout our city.

Neubauer Fellows served more than 92,000 Philadelphia students in the 2022-2023 school year. View more stats on our Fellows here, or browse the full Fellow Listing below to learn more about these leaders and their work. To view our Fellows by cohort, please visit:

All Fellows
Tom Szczesny
Principal, Powderhorn Elementary School
Jefferson County Public Schools, Colorado
2020 Neubauer Fellow
Noah Tennant
Assistant Superintendent
School District of Philadelphia
2016 Neubauer Fellow
Karen Thomas
Former Principal Coach (Retired)
School District of Philadelphia
2017 Neubauer Fellow
Susan Thompson
Principal, George Washington High School
School District of Philadelphia
2019 Neubauer Fellow
Nicole Unegbu
Nicole Unegbu
Partnership and Implementation Manager
Children’s Literacy Initiative
2020 Neubauer Fellow
Leigh Vitvitsky
Principal, George W. Sharswood Elementary School
School District of Philadelphia
2022 Neubauer Fellow
Mark Vitvitsky
Mark Vitvitsky
Assistant Superintendent of School Performance
School District of Philadelphia
2018 Neubauer Fellow
Sister Susan Walsh
Director of Alumni/Advancement Assistant/Admissions Evaluator
Mercy Career & Technical High School
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
2016 Neubauer Fellow
Stuart Warshawer
Assistant Principal
Lower Merion School District
2017 Neubauer Fellow
Shakeera Warthen-Canty, EdD
Assistant Superintendent
School District of Philadelphia
2017 Neubauer Fellow
Stephanie Williams
Principal, Belmont Charter Middle School
Independent Charter School
2024 Neubauer Fellow
Lisa Wilmer
Principal, Joseph W. Catharine Elementary School
School District of Philadelphia
2017 Neubauer Fellow
Christopher Zagacki
Chief Executive Officer
New Foundations Charter School
2017 Neubauer Fellow
Christopher Ziemba
Principal, Mastery Charter School – Lenfest Campus
Mastery Charter Schools
2020 Neubauer Fellow