Fall 2026 GSE Faculty Exchange Program
Join us for the Fall 2026 GSE Faculty Exchange Program!
Preparing Urban Leaders in the USA through an Experiential Approach with Drs. Nilda Soto-Ruiz and Olga De Jesus-Diaz, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs & Program Chair, School Leadership and Senior Director of Assessment and Accreditation & Associate Professor, Education and Special Education
Effective school leadership is widely recognized as a critical factor in improving students achievement and overall school success. As educational systems place greater emphasis on accountability, school leaders are expected to possess knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to foster learning environments that result in high levels of achievement for students. Drawing on the authors' experiences as university administrators in New York City, this chapter examines current and proposed changes to leadership preparation curricula designed to enhance school leader effectiveness. Attention is given to the unique context of the nation's largest public school system, and the need to prepare leaders who can support diverse student populations, including students with disabilities. This presentation also explores the competencies expected of effective school leaders, the role of accreditation standards in guiding program quality, and the experiential learning approach that provides aspiring leaders with practical opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills. By integrating theory with meaningful clinical experiences, university leadership programs can better prepare future school leaders with the skills to support teachers, respond to educational changes, and improve student outcomes.
About the presenters
Nilda Soto Ruiz, who was born in New York City is a product of the New York City Public Schools. She earned a baccalaureate degree from the City College of New York and Masters and Doctoral degrees from New York University. She has more than 36 years' experience as a teacher and high-ranking administrator in the New York City Public School System and has served as a trustee of the City University of New York. Dr. Soto Ruiz’s accomplishments have distinguished her as a leading practitioner and advocate in education. Her research interests include the teaching of English Language Learners and students with special needs and leadership preparation. In 2002 Dr. Soto Ruiz joined the faculty of Touro College as professor and chair for the programs in school administration which prepare educational professionals to serve as leaders in public and private schools. She is currently Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Chair of the School Leadership Program at the Touro University Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Olga De Jesus-Diaz has served as an educator across the P–16 continuum for more than 25 years, with expertise in special education, bilingual education, language acquisition, and teacher preparation in higher education. She holds two master’s degrees from Mercy College, one in Elementary Education and another in School Administration, and earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University. Dr. De Jesus-Diaz currently serves as an Associate Professor and Senior Director for Assessment and Accreditation in the Graduate School of Education at Touro University. She served as Vice President of Conferences for the New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NYS TESOL) during 2022–2023 and as President during 2024–2025. She has also served as a member of the New York State CEEDAR Task Force and the Bilingual Curriculum Design Task Force through the University School Partnership for Renewal of Educator Preparation (USPREP). More recently, Dr. De Jesus-Diaz was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), an organization dedicated to quality assurance in educator preparation. In this capacity, she has served as a reviewer of educator preparation providers and as a member of the Governance and Conference Planning Committees.
This program is prepared and sponsored by the Lander Center for Educational Research
