An African proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This proverb keenly reflects the values that Dr. Tina Wilson (EdD 2019) practices in her role as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at Port Chester Public Schools.  As the doctoral program in educational leadership marks its 15th anniversary, she reflected on how it empowered her as a leader and reinforced the importance of lifelong learning as a foundation for empowering others.

Dr. Wilson entered the doctoral program to further develop her leadership and create broader and more meaningful changes in education. Leveraging a robust cohort model grounded in adaptive leadership principles, the doctoral program provided her with the skills and perspectives to navigate the complexities of public education while always keeping students at the center of her decision-making. She recalled the transformative experiences in her policy and leadership courses that shaped the way she discerns problems using multiple perspectives to develop solutions. Dr. Wilson applies her understanding of adaptive leadership as she seeks stakeholder feedback for curricular improvements to enhance the learning experiences of students.

Dr. Wilson’s dissertation, "The Impact of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on School Discipline and Climate in a Suburban High School: A Mixed Methods Case Study," focused on the implementation of Tier 1 social-emotional learning programs and their impact on school climate, measured through the perspectives of school staff. Although she completed her study just before the pandemic, its relevance only grew stronger as schools faced the challenges of supporting students through trauma and isolation. Her findings emphasized the importance of transparent communication, aligned systems, and best practices in program implementation - principles that continue to guide her work as a school leader today.

Dr. Wilson recalls the camaraderie within her cohort peers as a crystal-clear memory. Meeting weekly fostered strong, enduring relationships that played a crucial role in supporting one another through the doctoral journey. This cohort connection, paired with meaningful faculty mentorship, was instrumental to her success.

Dr. Wilson continues to champion the values she learned in the doctoral program and remains connected to her cohort peers and mentors. Her legacy within the 91ֱ�� community reflects the enduring power of education to spark personal transformation and institutional progress.

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

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The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Dr. Ian Wolf (EdD '21) reflects on his 91ֱ�� experience with deep appreciation for the faculty and the exceptional support he received during the challenging COVID period. His first encounter with the program came during a Spring symposium, where he arrived unsure of what to expect. As he listened to a panel of higher education leaders discuss legal issues affecting students, he realized the program's relevance to his professional responsibilities. "The information session, quite frankly, blew me away," he recalls.

Ian describes 91ֱ��'s EdD program as unique, designed to meet students' needs regardless of their professional, personal, or academic circumstances. The intimate liberal arts atmosphere made him feel valued as an individual rather than just another “number”. He particularly highlights two pivotal faculty members: Dr. Susan Iverson and Dr. Renée Gargano, whom he considers foundational to the program's success.

Dr. Gargano served as the "glue" that held students together during those difficult times, consistently addressing concerns and providing support. Meanwhile, Dr. Iverson brought a level of academic rigor that reinforced the program's small liberal arts character. Whether through in-person coursework or virtual Zoom sessions, the care and attention Ian experienced demonstrated that 91ֱ�� not only supported its student body through unprecedented challenges but also maintained the high academic standards expected of a doctoral program.

Ian's dissertation, "BORDER ECLIPSE: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (IPA) OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT CONDUCT PROFESSIONALS' ROLES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC," examined how the global pandemic impacted community college administrators. Despite the chaos of conducting data during the pandemic, Ian notes that the challenges only reinforced the critical need for scholarly practitioners to continue research that advances education. Looking ahead, he hopes to extend his research through a post-COVID lens, examining which educational practices have persisted versus those that have reverted to pre-pandemic approaches.

The impact of 91ֱ��'s doctoral program extends far beyond individual graduates, filling crucial gaps in educational literature. Ian emphasizes that every dissertation empowers scholarly practitioners to effect change from the ground level up. The research conducted at 91ֱ�� benefits scholars across the region, from New Jersey to Washington, D.C., providing critical insights that inform decisions about national and local elections as well as public education policy. The program's 15-year anniversary only reinforces its strength and permanence in the educational landscape.

Currently serving as Assistant Dean for Student Engagement at Passaic Community College, Ian oversees student activities, including wellness activities, counseling services, housing, athletics, and other aspects of student life across campus. He remains committed to advancing his career in higher education, particularly within the community college sector, with aspirations for senior leadership roles in the future.

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Dr. Robert Zegarelli recalls the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program with heartfelt appreciation and pride, calling it more than a community - a family. As the program celebrates its 15th anniversary, he reflects on its continued growth and transformative impact on educators. 

Graduating in 2019 as part of the tightly knit Cohort 8, Dr. Zegarelli credits his peers, professors, and program structure for shaping him as an educational leader. His dissertation entitled, The Influence of Curricular Modifications on Teachers' Instructional Practices and Self-efficacy: A Mixed Methods Study, focused on how curricular changes at the state-level impacted teacher efficacy and pedagogical methods. Recognizing Algebra I as a gateway course impacting students' academic trajectories, his work emphasized the importance of professional development on interpreting standards rather than teaching to standardized tests. 

Dr. Zegarelli’s focus is on fostering student engagement through hands-on experiences and building teacher capacity for instructional innovation. He remains passionate about empowering educators and is committed to moving beyond assessments to meaningful learning experiences. His dissertation process, while rigorous, provided the powerful breakthroughs necessary to his development as a transformative leader. He recalls pivotal moments in class when he realized how research, policy, and practice intersect and the importance of understanding adaptive versus technical issues, reshaping his approach to instructional leadership. Dr. Zegarelli now brings those insights to his current school, where he champions inquiry-based learning. 

Dr. Zegarelli’s advice for prospective and current students is to get into a routine early, trust the process, and lean into the support system. The relationships he developed at 91ֱ�� contributed greatly to his success, and he cheers on his colleagues who have since joined the program. Adaptive, transformative, and supportive are three words Dr. Zegarelli uses to describe 91ֱ��’s doctoral program in educational leadership. He is a true reflection of the program’s legacy as he continues to stay innovative, empower educators, and support students. 

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Dr. John Falino currently serves as the Principal of IB High School in the Dobbs Ferry School District. He recalled joining cohort 1 of the Executive EdD [now Dissertation Completion] pathway as it was still taking shape. With this unique option, 91ֱ�� offered working professionals, who were ABD (all but dissertation) at another institution, with an opportunity to earn their EdD by completing their dissertation at 91ֱ��. John described his 91ֱ��’s professors as supportive and caring, “they will get you to the finish line,” he reflected with a sense of accomplishment, having defended his dissertation in less than 18 months after he started at 91ֱ��. 

Dr. Falino, an experienced scholar-practitioner, shared how rewarding it is to give back to 91ֱ�� through his service on dissertation committees. As a committee member, he feels proud of the network and community that 91ֱ�� has created with hundreds of teachers, counselors, higher education professionals and school leaders across NYS and at the national level. When Dr. Falino was asked to describe the program in one sentence, he noted that the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership “provides practitioners the opportunity to engage in authentic research in a way that can make a tangible difference in the day-to-day in school communities.” He emphasized the importance of studying a topic that connects with one’s professional practice. In his experience, the research component of a doctoral program allows educators to make data-informed decisions and think more deeply about the ill-structured problems that they encounter in their educational contexts. For John, it was a transformative experience to have professors who were connected to the field, having served as educational leaders, enabling them to connect those experiences to their teaching. 

John’s 2016 dissertation, “An evaluation of a high school one-to-one Chromebook program that aims to support differentiation and 21st century learning,” focused on learning about the impact of these devices on students learning and sought to answer practical and crucial questions that arose as a result of more school communities implementing one to one technological devices. 

John’s cohort, as the inaugural cohort in the Dissertation Completion Pathway (DCP), left a mark on the 91ֱ�� community and paved the way for others to follow, noting that the 91ֱ�� Dissertation Completion Pathway became the place for his cohort (and subsequent cohorts) to achieve their doctoral dream. John reflected positively on the cohort model, noting that while doctoral students might enter DCP at different points in their doctoral journey, collectively they share the dream to complete the dissertation and earn their doctoral degree. He referred to his cohort peers as cheerleaders, supportive and unified, with seemingly boundless enthusiasm and drive. Being able to rely on each other and embark on this journey together was memorable for John and his peers. 

On a professional level, Dr. Falino encourages educators at any level in their careers to embark on the doctoral journey. “The best educators are those who are able to think like researchers,” he shared, adding that he has benefited from having a researcher lens. All of John’s work is guided by data he collects, enables him to identify needs within his community and make informed and research-based decisions on how to best serve his students. This would not have been possible without having completed the program and conducted independent research for his dissertation which challenged his thinking and empowered his practice. Additionally, he noted that one’s own cohort peers, and all the other students and alumni in the doctoral program provide a powerful professional network while a student and long after completion.   

John’s crystal clear memory of his time in the program was his final defense, which he described as “unforgettable”. As he walked into the Reid Castle to defend his dissertation, he recalled all the memories, including the late nights and sacrifices he’d made to each that incredible milestone. He reflected that there is no other feeling like when “you hear Dr. in front of your name” because at the end of the day, your doctoral degree is a labor of love, dedication, and perseverance.   

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Dr. Natalie Aleman (Higher Ed ‘19) describes 91ֱ��’s legacy as   creating “long-lasting, quality leaders.” Dr. Aleman exemplifies these qualities by continuing to be present in the educational field and using her research to support her current student body. Natalie has been in education for 15-plus years. She began in public education as an English teacher, and from there, transitioned to adjunct professor at various institutions. She enjoyed doing her work so much in higher education that attending 91ֱ��’s doctoral program in Higher education was a natural step. She has transitioned back to English teaching at an independent prep school; a change, but one she enjoys as she can use her research on first-generation college students and create a safe space for their success. 

Natalie’s parents encouraged her to continue her education, seeing it as critical to attaining the success they envisioned for her. As a first-generation student, Dr. Aleman felt that her research needed to focus on the first-generation experience.  It was not easy for Natalie, who wanted to “challenge the deficit-based narratives about first-generation students.” In her research, she moved beyond highlighting challenges and focused on students’ strengths and resilience. 

With the support of her chair members and committee chair, Dr. Mitchell, Natalie used varied methodologies, including visual artifacts (drawings). Mini-books capturing participants’ experiences were developed through complex personal and academic experiences. Her research is now supporting her student body of first-year students. Natalie is passionate about supporting first-generation students, particularly in independent and college preparatory schools.   

During her time at 91ֱ��, she was part of a supportive cohort (Team Awesome) in the higher education track. She appreciated the diverse and collaborative learning environment, which helped her complete her doctoral journey. She fondly recalls how her cohort “formed a supportive community, with regular meetings and activities that fostered a sense of family”. Dr. Aleman expresses gratitude for the support and community she found at 91ֱ��, which helped her through the challenging doctoral journey. 

When reflecting on the 15th Anniversary celebration, Dr. Aleman expresses pride in the program’s legacy and its impact on its graduates. The celebration serves as a reminder of the program’s success and the positive changes it has brought to the field of education.

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Since its inception, 91ֱ�� has cultivated a community of lifelong learners, many of whom have gone on to shape educational policy, lead institutions, and contribute groundbreaking research. One such distinguished alumnus is Joseph J. Phillips (EdD ‘14), a member of Signature cohort 2, who not only earned his doctorate at 91ֱ�� but also transitioned into a teaching role at the university. In addition to serving as part-time clinical core doctoral faculty, initially with the Dissertation Completion Pathway (originally called Executive EdD), he was instrumental in the evolution of the Dissertation Completion Pathway (DCP), developing the online courses for the 2020 launch of DCP online. These developments have broadened the program’s reach, attracting students from across the country and around the globe.

Dr. Phillips summarized the EdD program in three words: leadership, scholarship, and support. Seeing his colleagues succeed as scholars and attain leadership and research positions was one of the most gratifying parts of his time as a student and a professor. Yet, what truly sets 91ֱ�� apart, he believes, is its unwavering support for students. At 91ֱ��, faculty go the extra mile, ensuring that students have the mentorship needed to successfully complete their dissertations. Whether through individualized mentoring or the strong cohort model, the doctoral program has built an enduring community of support. Many alumni continue to stay connected, offering guidance to current students and collaborating on research endeavors. 

For Dr. Phillips, research has always been a driving force. His dissertation focused on school practices and its impact on English Language Arts achievement among Hispanic fourth graders. Inspired by firsthand experience teaching in a predominantly Hispanic school, he sought to identify factors influencing student success. Today, he continues this work as a research analyst at Westchester Community College, applying predictive analytics and data-driven methodologies to improve student outcomes. His current research includes developing models to forecast enrollment patterns, measuring student satisfaction, and assessing institutional effectiveness — efforts that have an immediate and meaningful impact on decision-making processes in higher education. The shift from traditional statistical methods to advanced machine learning techniques has been both a challenge and a rewarding opportunity to stay at the forefront of educational research.

Dr. Phillips’ crystal-clear memories embody the supportive spirit that he experienced as a doctoral student and that he provided students as a faculty member. Most notably, students would praise his patience as an instructor of quantitative research. Dr. Phillips remains affiliated with the doctoral program as an adjunct and dissertation committee member. His outstanding contributions were recognized in 2022 with the School of Education alumni award for Distinguished Service.

As 91ֱ�� celebrates 15 years of excellence, it remains committed to fostering the next generation of educators, researchers, and leaders who will continue to make an indelible impact on the world of education.

Donations to the Doctoral Program EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund support our students and their research

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Support the Doctoral Program

The “EmpowerEdD Leadership Fund” Fund was established in 2015 to pay it forward to the 91ֱ�� Doctoral Program. We thank you for your generosity and support of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership! 

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Crystallizing Vision, Empowering Change

The Doctoral Program is celebrating an important milestone – 15 years since its founding in 2010, in partnership with PNW BOCES. A 15th anniversary is symbolized by crystals – an important representation of the doctoral program’s growth and change, which is briefly described here.

The vision for the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership began more than 15 years ago with an idea to prepare leaders among leaders to serve the region. The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership was born in 2010 with 2 cohorts recruited in that first year. We are currently recruiting cohort 17 to start in fall 2025 in what is now referred to as the Signature pathway, serving aspiring or current leaders in PK12 who are empowering change in the region and beyond.

A few years later, a seed of an idea was planted for how to serve the many who started Doctoral Programs in Educational Leadership but whose dream of a completed dissertation had been deferred. Inspired by the vision of Dr. Yiping Wan (then doctoral program director), another EdD pathway (then named Executive EdD) emerged, with the first cohort starting in January of 2014. Now known as the Dissertation Completion Pathway, doctoral candidates transfer to 91ֱ�� and receive the support to finish their degree and achieve their deferred dream. Individuals interested in this synchronous online degree pathway can apply to start in July 2025.

In 2016, recognizing growing interest from educational leaders in colleges and universities, the vision expanded. A curricular concentration in higher education was approved, and the HigherEd Leadership pathway was launched in 2017 with 2 cohorts recruited in its initial year. We are currently recruiting cohort 10 to start in fall 2025. This 100% synchronous online pathway to the doctoral program serves higher education leaders across the U.S.

Crystals, the symbol of a 15 year anniversary, is appropriate since, like the doctoral program, crystals are ever changing shape and growing. Crystals never develop a fixed or “perfect” shape because – like educational leaders – they are responsive to their surroundings, drawing upon resources in their environments. Celebrating our 15th year, the doctoral program, now proudly boasts over 180 alumni and 170 doctoral students in the region, across the U.S., and around the world. Over the 12 months of 2025, we will mark this crystal anniversary with alumni testimonials, doctoral spotlights, oral histories, and more to showcase the contributions of how educational leaders are empowering change.

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from 91ֱ��, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership