District 1 Team

Carry Chan-Howard has been the Community Superintendent of District 1 since 2017. She started as a teacher in Brooklyn and was inspired to become a school leader. During her tenure as an assistant principal, she was accepted to the Leadership Academy. She had the opportunity to open a new public middle school, The School for Global Leaders in the lower east side of Manhattan, in District 1. Carry was also born and raised in the lower east side and is deeply invested in the community.


cchan2@schools.nyc.gov

Kristine Mustillo is a 28-year educator who served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal prior to joining the District 1 team as Deputy Superintendent. As a parent and an educator, she is committed to closing opportunity gaps that exist across the city. Kristine supports professional learning for school leaders and the strengthening of instructional programming across our schools. Kristine is a lifelong learner who recently completed a doctoral degree in community-based leadership.


kmustil@schools.nyc.gov

Christina has been an active member of the District 1 community for over 19 years. She is a proud mom of three; all of whom graduated from District 1. Christina was elected PTA President at P.S.19 Asher Levy School where she increased parent engagement. Later, she was honored to take on the Parent Coordinator role where she successfully continued her efforts to support the school’s community. Through demonstration of her various initiatives and campaigns as a Parent Coordinator, she has now transitioned to Family Leadership Coordinator for District 1. She will work closely with PA/PTA, District Leadership Team, SLT members, District President’s Council, Title 1 Committees, and CEC to support Parent Leadership and Community Engagement. Christina looks forward to serving D1 families and building community.

csahibzada@schools.nyc.gov

Angelica has been an active member of the District 1 community for over 5 years. She is a mom to 3 children, 2 of which are currently enrolled in D1 elementary school. Angelica has worked within the community as a parent advocate within University Settlement, a paraprofessional in an early childhood institution and as a community coordinator for the District 1 Family Resource Center. Continuing her dedicated service to her community, Angelica has joined the district as the Family Support Coordinator to further increase desire to empower and support families in District 1.

atorres121@schools.nyc.gov

Maribel Nunez Hyman was an Early Childhood Educator for over 19 years at Columbia University and later transitioned to the Brooklyn Public Library as an Outreach and Early Literacy Program Coordinator. Maribel has always been very passionate about promoting equality in the education system and ensuring that all children have access to equitable learning.

mnunez63@schools.nyc.gov

Ann Iparraguirre was born and raised on a dairy farm which launched her lifelong interest in the natural world. Ann completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and has taught every level of students, from pre-K through post-graduate. After working as a teacher and school administrator, Ann turned her attention to designing and facilitating Professional Learning In Manhattan. Ann joins the District 1 Team as an Instructional Lead to offer support and coaching for teachers and school leaders. She is looking forward to supporting D1 schools and families as we create opportunities for all students to succeed.   aiparra@schools.nyc.gov

Joezette Joseph is a partner, daughter, sister, friend, and pet mom who grew up in Brooklyn, NY and currently resides in Jamaica, Queens. Presently, Joezette serves District 1 as an Instructional Lead. In this role, she provides instructional and coaching support for teachers and school leaders in Math instruction, particularly through a Critical and culturally responsive lens. For the past 12 years, Joezette has had the privilege of working alongside amazing, highly dedicated educators while serving students in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. It is her position that all students, regardless of race, gender, ethnic, or socioeconomic background, deserve access to an equitable and quality education. She is thrilled to be a part of the District 1 team and the Lower East Side community!   jjoseph70@schools.nyc.gov

Luz Maria Rojas-Vilson has worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and acting principal across the city for over 20 years. In 2000, Luz Maria left the field of corporate advertising and became a teacher for multilingual learners after she read a local newspaper article about disproportionate drop-out rates for Brown and Black children. As an educator, she believes that learning is ongoing for both our students and teachers, and teaching is most effective in a cooperative learning environment in which teachers can share best practices with each other. Her educational philosophy is grounded in combining her school leadership experience with her passion for mentoring and coaching teachers to establish a learning environment for each student.

LRojas@schools.nyc.gov

Sara Polland, originally from Wisconsin, chose New York as her home in 2000.  She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.  She taught elementary grades 2-5 for many years, and received her Masters in Teaching Literacy.  Sara has a passion for teacher development and support; helping educators design learning environments where all students feel supported. She is an avid traveler, foodie and new gardener! She looks forward to returning to the Lower East Side, the community that welcomed both her as New Yorker and her great-grandparents as immigrants to America.


SPolland@schools.nyc.gov

Before joining District 1, Sasha Sam was an ICT and Special Class (12:1) teacher, Special Education Liaison, and Academic Intervention Service Coordinator in Brooklyn and Queens. She has an undergraduate degree in Special Education, a Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Touro University, and an M.S.Ed in Leadership in Mathematics Education from Bank Street College. As an educator, her priority is ensuring equity while providing access to quality education for all students. Her love for teaching is driven by the belief that students with disabilities should be immersed in an authentic learning experience that meets their individual social-emotional and academic needs. In her current role, she hopes to advocate for students with disabilities while collaborating with District 1 school communities to provide personalized learning experiences.

ssam2@schools.nyc.gov

Shoshana Lief is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who started her career in the DOE as a school-based social worker in Brooklyn. She then went on to serve at the central level as the citywide Family Support Manager helping to support and empower parents through the various challenges they encountered. Shoshana is passionate about mental health and the role that it plays in a student’s education and social-emotional development. As the Student Services Manager for District 1, she will support all schools, school leaders and school-based staff to improve school climate and culture, counseling supports and crisis prevention and intervention, in service of our students and families.

ILief@schools.nyc.gov

Claire Lowenstein started her education career as a Special Education, Reading and ELA teacher in Manhattan. She has a master’s degree in Special Education from New York University. A graduate of the Leadership Education Apprentice Program (LEAP), she received her Administration and Supervision degree from Baruch College and Bank Street College. Claire was a principal of a K-8 school in District 3 before joining the District 1 team to support special projects. Claire was born and raised in the Bronx and currently lives on the Upper West Side.

clowenstein@schools.nyc.gov

Daemian is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work in the district where he was raised. He and his children are products of NYC Public Schools, and currently has two grandchildren attending NYC elementary schools. With a lifelong commitment to education, he is deeply dedicated to delivering equitable services to students and their families. Throughout his career, he has held various roles in the NYC DOE, including serving as a school counselor, coordinating special education, acting as an assistant principal for guidance and special education, and being a central office manager. In his role, he is excited to support and partner with the schools and the district one community, in navigating academic policy, and assessing, analyzing, and increasing school performance to benefit youth and their families.

dpassar@schools.nyc.gov

Sandra Portnoy has been a passionate educator for many years. She began her career teaching 3rd grade in Broward County Florida. Although she loved teaching all subjects, her real passion has always been literacy – she just wanted students to garner a love of reading. This led her to get certified in literacy. She has worked with students at all levels- elementary, middle and high school. Her most recent experience was at East Side Community School as a Reading Specialist for students in grades 6-12.  Sandra is so excited to continue and expand upon this trajectory in her new position as an Academic Intervention Specialist Coordinator. In this role she will be working at the district level, utilizing valid, research-based data to help make instructional decisions for struggling readers, thus ensuring that students become life-long readers and learners.

sportnoy@schools.nyc.gov

Aracelis Araujo, born and raised in the South Bronx, started her career as a General Education Teacher in Baltimore, MD. In 2005 she relocated back to the Bronx teaching various grades for ten years in District 7. In 2011 she received a Masters Degree in Special Education from Bank Street College and taught exceptional students for seven years in District 8. In 2021 she received a Masters Degree in Progressive Leadership from Bank Street College. Last year she was an Instructional Coach for the Literacy Collaborative in District 11. In her current role as AIS Coordinator for District 1; she hopes to provide school leaders and teachers with support, guidance and expertise in order to ensure that instruction meets the needs of all learners. She believes that “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact last in your absence.” (-Sheryl Sandberg)

aaraujo@schools.nyc.gov

Wilson Lam is a native New Yorker; born and raised.  He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from NYU and his graduate degrees in Education from Hunter College. He has been an educator within the Dept. of Education for over 15 years. He was an early childhood education teacher in District 25, Queens, before becoming a literacy coach in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is excited to take on his role as an Early Childhood Education Administrator for District 1. Equity and cultural responsiveness in the education system are his priorities. He hopes to give all learners a myriad of opportunities to reveal their talents and skills through meaningful learning experiences.


WLam22@schools.nyc.gov

With 12 years of experience in the New York City Department of Education, Kelly has dedicated much of her career to creating an inclusive and dynamic learning environment. Having served for two years as a special education coordinator, she has developed a strong expertise in differentiation and scaffolding techniques to ensure that all students achieve their highest potential. Kelly’s passion for reading and writing fuels her commitment to literacy, and she is committed to implementing the NYC Reads initiative with fidelity. A firm believer in the value of project-based learning, Kelly is dedicated to crafting educational experiences that are both meaningful and transformative for all District 1 students.

KHerbig@schools.nyc.gov

Ellie started her teaching career with the DOE in 2004 as one of the founding members of KAPPA IV (M302) in district 5 where she taught middle school English Language Arts and was a model teacher and ELA coach. In 2022, Ellie continued to support schools in districts 29, 5, 9 and 3, this time as a Literacy Collaborative Coach and in 2023 became an Intensive Reading Specialist in district 26. Ellie is excited to continue her work as an IRI, supporting school leaders, teams and families in district one.

etziani@schools.nyc.gov

With over 15 years of experience in the NYC Department of Education, Selina Yu Ye is a committed educator supporting English and multilingual learners. Prior to joining the DOE, her teaching career spans private, international and non-profit organizations. She specializes in ENL, ICT, bilingual education, and mentoring teachers to ensure equitable access to education. As a UFTTC District 1 coach, she collaborates with schools and teachers to support the effective implementation of the EL Education curriculum for all types of learners.

yye@ufttc.org