With an unyielding commitment to a vision of transforming the lives of adults, children, communities and school systems, Dr. Ruby Ababio-Fernandez is the Executive Vice President of Programming & Development and comes to the work with over twenty-three years of experience in education and leadership. Dr. Ruby served as Associate Vice President for Equity and Leadership Development for the New York City Leadership
Academy (NYCLA) before her transition to the role as deputy superintendent and senior executive officer of the Office of Equity and Access (OEA) for New York City’s Department of Education. Her extensive portfolio includes the city-wide Implicit Bias Initiative, Advanced Placement for All, DREAM-Specialized High Schools Institute as well as several youth development programs.

Dr. Ruby’s leadership in confronting racial inequities helped forge new paths for developing the will, skill, knowledge and dispositions needed to achieve educational equity for underrepresented and underserved students, families, and communities. As Chief Strategy Officer of NYC’s Department of Education, Dr. Ababio-Fernandez directly supported the Chancellor of Schools in creating and managing a comprehensive and coherent vision for the agency and in developing effective leaders to advance racial equity.

Dr. Ruby earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Framingham St. College, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with Specialization in Literacy from Lesley University, a master’s in Educational Leadership Studies, and a doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Ruby is a published author and her forthcoming book on equity leadership will be published by Corwin Press in Spring 2023.She currently resides in New York with her family.