Showing results 1 - 25 of 353
Restructured Professional Learning Communities Focused on Data and Collaboration Forge Academic Growth at Potter-Thomas
Nikki Polk with Potter-Thomas students
Neubauer Fellows Appointed to Multiple Roles Within School District of Philadelphia Leadership
Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders (PASL) congratulates the many Neubauer Fellows promoted to new School District of Philadelphia roles, as announced by the district in early June.
Leaders of Leaders 2024
Senior Fellow Institutes 2024–2025
2015 Neubauer Fellows
2016 Neubauer Fellows
2017 Neubauer Fellows
2018 Neubauer Fellows
2019 Neubauer Fellows
2020 Neubauer Fellows
2022 Neubauer Fellows
Strategic Plan
Developing School Leaders, Developing Students
Attendance Wall, Data-Informed Communications Strategies Drive Student Attendance at Moffet
PASL has distilled data from Neubauer Fellow-led schools, identifying trends and effective practices and creating tools that support efforts to improve attendance.
Four Neubauer Fellows, Including Three Cohort 8 Fellows, Honored with Lindback Awards for Distinguished Principals
This prestigious award celebrates educators who demonstrate excellence in promoting learning at the highest levels.
Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders Welcomes 24 Members in Cohort 8 of the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership
We are thrilled to announce 24 Philadelphia principals as members of the eighth cohort of the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership.
Announcing the 2024 Neubauer Fellows
Rickia Reid
Regional Schools Officer
Mastery Charter Schools

Now a Regional Schools Officer for Mastery Charter Schools, Rickia previously served as the principal of Mastery Molina Elementary School in Camden, New Jersey, from 2015 through 2022. In her first year as principal at Mastery Molina, the school doubled proficiency rates in Math and English Language Arts on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam. Each year since, Mastery Molina increased its number of students scoring proficient on the PARCC English Language Arts exam. In 2018 – 2019 Mastery Molina made the Top 10 District and Renaissance School list in ELA Proficiency and the Top 10 District and Renaissance School list in Math Proficiency in Camden. Also in 2018 – 2019 44% of Master Molina English Language Learners met their target score on the Access 2.0.

Prior to becoming principal at Mastery Molina, Rickia was principal at Simon Gratz Mastery Charter School in Philadelphia (2013 – 2015), during which the school increased student attendance rates and Keystone Literacy exam scores.

Rickia has been an educator since 2002.  Rickia is a recipient of the Philadelphia 76ers Game Changer Award (2018-2019) for leaders who mentor the next generation of innovators and she is a member of the Mastery Charter Schools – Health and Safety Plan Board. Rickia has also served as Assistant Principal of Instruction, 8th Grade Team Lead, Geometry teacher, and 8th Grade Math teacher. Rickia grew up in Philadelphia and attended Strawberry Mansion High School.

Lisa Mesi
Former Principal, Philadelphia High School for Girls
School District of Philadelphia

Lisa served as principal of Philadelphia High School for Girls (Girl’s High) from 2019 to 2023. Prior to this role, Lisa served as Director of the New Principals’ Academy at the School District of Philadelphia, transitioning novice leaders into their new roles as School District of Philadelphia principals through two years of ongoing coaching and professional development.

Previously, Lisa was the principal of Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin from 2013 – 2016. Under her leadership, AMY at James Martin moved from the 12th to the 3rd ranked middle school overall in one year according to the School District of Philadelphia’s School Progress Report. Additional highlights from her leadership at AMY at James Martin include increasing the school’s “Overall” score by 19%, increasing the “Progress” score by 35%, and receiving the 2015-16 “Peer Leader” award (out of 14 schools). Prior to becoming principal at AMY at James Martin, Lisa was principal at Sheridan West Academy (2011 – 2013) where she led the school to a 9% increase in both Math and English Language Arts PSSA achievement scores.

Lisa has been an educator since 1996. Prior to becoming a principal, Lisa served as Assistant Principal, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) representative, student-teacher mentor, leadership/safety/distributed leadership team member, and middle school literacy teacher. Lisa grew up in South Philadelphia and attended Saint Maria Goretti High School.

Jim Meredith
Principal, Lansdale Catholic High School
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

James (Jim)  has served as the principal of  Lansdale Catholic High School since 2023. Previously, he was the principal of  Nazareth Academy from 2018 to 2023. Prior to his role at Nazareth Academy, Jim was Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, principal of Archbishop Ryan High School, and principal of Pope John Paul II High School. In addition, Jim has held the role of as assistant principal and teacher of various elementary through high school grades.

Jim has been an educator since 1996 and is the proud father of five daughters. Jim grew up in Philadelphia and attended Father Judge High School.

Careers
Dalila Wilson-Scott
Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation & President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

Dalila Wilson-Scott serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.  In this role, Dalila oversees all Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives and philanthropic strategy for the corporation, including the company’s $100 million commitment to advance social justice and equality.

Dalila also leads Comcast’s community impact initiatives, working across the organization to provide strategic leadership throughout all aspects of its corporate social responsibility programs, including employee engagement and volunteerism.  In addition, Dalila oversees efforts to utilize Comcast’s world-class media platforms to bring greater attention to the work of our philanthropic partners. In 2020, Comcast provided nearly $500 million in total support to 4,500 nonprofit partners sharing Comcast’s commitment to creating a more connected and equitable world.

Dalila joined Comcast in 2016 after more than 16 years at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she served as Head of Global Philanthropy and President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.  She led the firm’s philanthropic and economic opportunity initiatives, including the firm’s $100 million commitment to Detroit’s recovery, while helping to set the company’s overall corporate responsibility strategy.  Prior to joining the Office of Corporate Responsibility, she served in the firm’s Corporate Merger Office as an integral member of the team managing the integration of JPMorgan Chase and Bank One.

In addition to serving on the boards of Welcome America, Inc. and Box.org, Dalila is a member of the Executive Leadership Council.  She previously served as a member of the Committee for Economic Development, and the Advisory Council of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.  Dalila has been named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Cable” by Cablefax Magazine, receiving the 2019 inaugural “Wave Maker” Award; one of the “Most Powerful Women in Business” by Black Enterprise; and an “Innovative Rising Star: Building Communities” by Forbes magazine.  Dalila speaks regularly on philanthropy and equity issues, most recently at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Social Innovation Summit, MIT Solve, USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute’s Annual Symposium. She earned an MBA in Finance and Management from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from New York University’s College of Arts and Science.

DALILA WILSON-SCOTT
Noah Tennant
Assistant Superintendent, School District of Philadelphia, 2016 Neubauer Fellow

Noah has served as a School District of Philadelphia Assistant Superintendent since 2020. In this role, he oversees Learning Network 4, partnering with school leaders to focus on student achievement, equity, and emotional/social development. Prior to joining the School District of Philadelphia, Noah served as the principal and then CEO of Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter, the only all-boys public school in Pennsylvania. Under his leadership, Boys’ Latin maintained an average college matriculation rate of 85% and an average college persistence rate of 77%.

Noah has been an educator since 1998. Prior to becoming a principal, Noah served as Assistant Principal, Acting Director of Guidance, and middle school English teacher. Noah was named University of Pennsylvania’s Educator of the Year (2017) and received the YMCA Achievers Excellence in Service to Youth Award. Noah is a contributing author to Repositioning Educational Leadership (Teachers College Press. Columbia University). He has served on the boards for Philadelphia Charters for Excellence and North Carolina Outward Bound School. Noah grew up in Harrisburg, PA.

Noah Tennant
Sara Ray Stoelinga
President & CEO, Easterseals serving Chicagoland and Rockford Former Director, Urban Education Institute

Sara Ray Stoelinga is the President & CEO of Easterseals serving Chicagoland and Rockford. In her role at Easterseals, Sara oversees a broad portfolio that includes three campuses of Easterseals Academy which serves students with autism, numerous Head Start and Early Head Start centers, 2 Child-Family-Connection centers, district training in special education and community-based programs for low income families and people with disabilities. Easterseals is nearly $60m operating with more than 650 employees, serving 30,000 families each year.

Prior to her role at Easterseals, Sara was most recently the Sara Liston Spurlark Director at the Urban Education Institute and a Clinical Professor in the Committee on Education at the University of Chicago. Sara spent 22 years at the Institute, going from intern, to graduate research associate, to researcher, to senior director, to director. Sara was also a professor at the University of Chicago, teaching courses to undergraduates on school reform history and policy and sociology of education. Sara has written and spoken extensively on urban school reform history and policy, including articles, op eds, research reports and 2 books with Columbia University’s Teachers College Press.

Sara received a B.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.

SARA RAY STOELINGA
Tim O’Shaughnessy
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Aramark U.S. Food & Facilities

An accomplished executive with more than 30 years of diverse financial experience, Tim O’Shaughnessy is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Aramark U.S. Food & Facilities operations. As Senior Vice President, Tim oversees reporting and analysis of results and operations, audit and controls, capital investment, growth and operations support, and overall strategic financial leadership for 10 of Aramark’s business units, including Sports + Entertainment, the Workplace Experience Group (Dining, Refreshment), and both Collegiate and Next Level Hospitality. As CFO, Tim also focuses on ensuring a deep pipeline of talented finance and accounting professionals for the company.

Tim first joined Aramark in 1989; in 2007, he departed his role as SVP and CFO of Aramark’s Business, Sports & Entertainment Group, and moved on to serve as Chief Financial Officer for St. Joseph’s Prep and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He also spent nearly two years at La Salle University in various roles, including as interim president.

Tim is a Founding Board Member of Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, a Former Board Member of Polonia Bank, and a Former Audit Committee Member for Holy Family University.

Tim holds a BS in Accounting from LaSalle University and an MBA from Wharton (University of Pennsylvania).

TIM O’SHAUGHNESSY
Joseph Neubauer
Board Chair, Former CEO, Aramark Corporation

Joe Neubauer was Chairman of the Board of ARAMARK Corporation, a leading global provider of professional services including food, hospitality, facility and uniform services, from April 1984 until February 2015. Joe joined Aramark in 1979 as Executive Vice President of Finance and Development, Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. He was elected President in 1981, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 1983 and Chairman in 1984. He held the title of CEO until May 2012. During his tenure at the helm of Aramark, the company grew from a $2.5 billion business largely concentrated in the United States to a $13 billion global services provider.

Prior to Aramark, Joe held senior positions with PepsiCo, Inc. from 1971 to 1979, including Senior Vice President of PepsiCo’s Wilson Sporting Goods Division and Vice President and Treasurer of the parent company, PepsiCo, Inc.

From 1965 to 1971 he was with the Chase Manhattan Bank, serving in several capacities from Assistant Treasurer to Vice President of commercial lending.

Joe serves on the Board of Directors of Mondelez International. He is Chairman of the University of Chicago’s Board of Trustees and also Chairman of the Barnes Foundation’s Board. He was formerly a director of Verizon Communications, Macy’s, Inc., and Tufts University.

Joe has been recognized throughout his career for civic and professional achievements. He was conferred with Papal Honors, Knight in the Order of St. Gregory The Great in 2016. In 2015 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He received the William Penn Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a business person in the greater Philadelphia business community in 2013. For his civic involvement, he received the prestigious Philadelphia Award in 2012. Also in 2012, Joe was a Great Immigrants – Pride of America Honoree by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In 2010 he was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal from the University of Virginia for setting high standards in corporate and civic leadership.  He received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship as well as recognition as a Financial Times Outstanding Director in 2005. In 1994 he was inducted into the prestigious Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. He has been a member of the American Philosophical Society since 2007.

Joe received his Bachelor’s Degree from Tufts University and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago, and in 2017, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Technion. He received honorary degrees previously from Tufts University, Drexel University, Franklin & Marshall College, and Widener University.

JOSEPH NEUBAUER
Stephanie Naidoff, Esq.
Attorney, Former Philadelphia Director of Commerce, Founding President of the Kimmel Center

Stephanie Naidoff, Esq. served as Philadelphia’s City Representative and Director of Commerce from 2004 to 2008. In this position, she was the city’s Chief Economic Development Officer and its official representative for cultural programs and special events.

Stephanie was responsible for developing and implementing the City’s economic development strategy. She led a process to create an Economic Development Blueprint which served as a guide and stimulus for much of the City’s recent progress. The Blueprint laid out the Mayor’s signature initiatives regarding downtown commercial development, neighborhood revitalization, waterfront transformation, civic and cultural development, and expansion of the knowledge industry. In conjunction with this role, she was the Mayor’s liaison to the business, arts, and hospitality/tourism communities. She also supervised the Airport and coordinated the City’s role with respect to all of the related Economic Development agencies. As City Representative, she was responsible for numerous city-wide special events such as Live 8 and the Olympics bid.

Prior to her appointment as Commerce Director, Stephanie was the founding President of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. In the four years she served as President, the Center went from a long delayed dream to a $275 million architectural masterpiece on Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts, complete with an operational endowment and well-regarded management team.

Earlier, Stephanie had a successful 30+ year career as a lawyer, starting with public service. She served for 13 years in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ultimately becoming the Chief Counsel for the Mid-Atlantic states. She became the first General Counsel for Thomas Jefferson University where she served for 14 years, overseeing the University’s legal, insurance, government affairs and community relations programs. She then practiced law at the firm of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius where she was a corporate lawyer focused on the restructuring of health care organizations.

Stephanie also built an impressive portfolio of civic activities. She served on the board of CoreStates Bank and the William Penn Foundation. She was the founding Chair of the Wachovia Regional Foundation and the Pennsylvania Women’s Forum and served on the boards of numerous other locally-based cultural and civic organizations. She is currently a board member of the University of Pennsylvania health system (Penn Medicine), Philadelphia Schools Partnerships, the Curtis Institute, and the Free Library. In Aspen, she is on the board of Aspen Public Radio and the Aspen Music Festival and School. She is the recipient of numerous awards from the League of Women Voters, the American Red Cross, the Girl Scouts, Woman One, and the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania.

Stephanie received her JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1966 and her BA from Goucher College in 1963. She is married to Michael A. Naidoff, MD, and they have one son, Dan who is a film editor. She lives in Philadelphia and Aspen.

STEPHANIE NAIDOFF, ESQ.