First Latina NYC DOE Chancellor is Ensuring Schools Support Every Child

Episode Description:

Meet Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools – the youngest and first Latina to lead the nation's largest school system. From growing up as the first in her family to graduate high school to now overseeing the education of nearly a million students, Melissa shares how childhood experiences with educational inequity shaped her commitment to ensuring every child receives the love, support, and excellent education they deserve.

What You'll Learn:

• How to transform personal struggles into systemic solutions
• The power of deep listening as a leadership practice
• Building confidence when you're the first or only in your role
• Creating educational environments where every child feels seen and valued
• Turning data into compassionate action

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 Introduction and background
• 03:00 Growing up in the Bronx, family immigration story
• 08:00 The difference between her siblings' school experience and her own
• 12:00 Discovering her love for writing and teaching
• 18:00 Transition from teacher to principal to chancellor
• 25:00 Leading during crisis: Project Open Arms
• 32:00 Daily practices for staying connected to students and families
• 38:00 Building courage capital and overcoming imposter syndrome
• 44:00 Nominating Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz
• 47:00 How to support public education

Key Takeaways:

• True leadership means making sure no one has to make the sacrifices your family made
• Courage is built through consistent practice of showing up authentically
• The best leaders never forget what it feels like to need support
• Systemic change happens when we center the voices of those most impacted

Guest Bio:

Melissa Aviles-Ramos is Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, the largest school system in the nation. She was formerly the Deputy Chancellor of Family and Community Engagement and External Affairs, as well as the Chief of Staff to former Chancellor David C. Banks. In those roles, she oversaw innovative family engagement programs such as NYC Literacy Hubs and our Family Literacy Ambassadors; she also launched and led Project Open Arms, our unprecedented effort to welcome, enroll, and support 45,000-plus of our newest New Yorkers.

Chancellor Aviles-Ramos began her career as an English teacher and NYC Teaching Fellow at Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx. She later served as principal at Schuylerville Prep and then became the acting superintendent to Bronx HS District 8, 10 and 11. Chancellor Aviles-Ramos earned her bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, Master of Arts in English Education from the City College of New York, and Advanced Certificates in school and district leadership from College of Saint Rose. She is a native New Yorker, a Latina, and a proud NYCPS parent. 

Host Bio: Aransas Savas is a wellbeing and leadership coach and host of The Uplifters Podcast. She helps women recognize and develop their own courage to create positive change in their lives and communities.

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Keywords: education leadership, systemic change, first-generation college graduate, educational equity, public schools, Latina leadership, courage building, New York City, educational innovation, immigrant families, literacy initiatives