Sarah Benis Scheier-Dolberg

Dr. Sarah E. Benis Scheier-Dolberg is the Associate Director of the Urban Education Leaders Collaborative (UELC) and Summer Principals Academy | New Orleans (SPA|NOLA) at Columbia University Teachers College. Dr. BSD is a faculty member in SPA|NOLA, co-teaching the Introduction to Leadership and Decision Making course and School Leadership Internship course for aspiring school leaders completing their master’s degree at Teachers College. In her role with the UELC, Dr. BSD works in partnership with urban district leaders in New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Durham, and other major cities to develop and deliver professional development programming for district-level and building-level leaders. In her leadership work at the UELC, Dr. BSD creates collaborative spaces for leaders to learn, innovate, and improve decision-making within the context of complex, real-world leadership problems in urban education systems. UELC modules, co-authored by Dr. Benis Scheier-Dolberg, span a vast range of topics relevant for urban education leaders.

Dr. BSD also serves as a leadership coach and literacy specialist for schools in New York City. As a former teacher leader and professional developer, Dr. BSD brings a wealth of expertise across subject areas and grade levels. Having served as an intern in the NYC DOE Division of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners, a high school special educator, and a Mentor Teacher and Site Director for the Boston Teacher Residency Program, Dr. BSD brings a K-12 perspective to supporting teachers and school leaders in their efforts to create inclusive learning communities. Additionally, in her work for the Boston Debate League, she led a Debate Across the Curriculum initiative to transform the practice of teams of high school teachers through integrating more student-centered, academically rigorous debate curricula across all subject areas. Dr. BSD has also been a mentor, coach, and professional developer for teachers working across varied settings to support English learners and their families. As a coach, Dr. BSD supports teachers and school leaders K-12 in the areas of Literacy, Social Studies, and Technology Integration.

Dr. BSD began her career as an educator serving as a Teaching Fellow for Citizen Schools in Boston and then moved to Japan to teach ESL. Earning an MAT at Tufts University in 2005, she holds teaching licenses in Social Studies and ESL. Dr. BSD also has an MEd and EdD in Urban Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. She completed her undergraduate degree at Swarthmore College in 2000, earning high honors and a research award for her thesis exploring service learning in urban schools.