Sonja Jeannie Aversa

Jeannie has been serving as an educator for 31 years, working for NYS in the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the Enlarged School District of Troy, and since 1996, in the Syracuse City School District. Previously as a teacher, building administrator, and now, Coordinator of Staff Effectiveness, Jeannie currently is responsible for various leadership development programs including New Principal Mentors, Syracuse Aspiring Leadership Academy (SALA), Syracuse Urban Leadership Fellows (SULF), New Educator Orientation, Performance Reviews of Leaders and probationary staff, and professional development for staff members. She is the Lead Mentor for the SCSD Urban Fellowship Program and SCSD Affinity Groups. She works with privately educational partners as well as IHE to create pipelines to increase professional opportunities and diversity of staff. She is passionate about helping others reach their potential and helps to recruit teachers and administrators of Color. Many programs directly align with our district initiative to recruit, support, and retain teachers/leaders/staff of color to reflect the diversity of our student scholar population.

Jeannie has been a recent past board member for the SCSD Educational Foundation, SCSD Together We Can (initiative for faith-based communities to provide support within the schools) and is currently a member/mentor of the Fellowship of Women Christian Athletes.