From Programs To Policy: How Donors Can Drive Educational Change In Brooklyn

Meghan Dunn

Community School District 13, Superintendent | Administrator

Meghan Dunn began her career in education as a first-grade teacher in District 16, located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She had the unique opportunity to “loop” with her students, teaching the same group from 1st through 5th grade—an experience she considers a profound honor.

Meghan went on to become the founding principal of the Riverdale Avenue Community School, a 3K–5th grade school in Brownsville, Brooklyn. In March 2020, Meghan joined District 13 as the Deputy Superintendent, continuing her commitment to equity, excellence, and community-centered leadership.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Art History from The George Washington University, and a Master’s in Education from Bank Street College of Education. Meghan is a 2016 Cahn Fellow for Distinguished Principals and a proud recipient of the Bank Street College Alumni Award – Graduate of Distinction.

Sophie Lippincott Ferrer

SLF Advisors, Education Strategy Consultant and Philanthropic Advisor

Sophie partners with innovative nonprofits and funders to grapple with complex challenges in education and design evidence-based, high impact solutions.  She is currently partnering with the Literacy Academy Collective (LAC) and SUNY to help integrate evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading into educator preparation.

Previously, Sophie worked at the PCLB Foundation and led a portfolio focused on teacher recruitment and preparation in CT and NYC. She also spent 10 years at Education First, a national education consulting firm, helping states and districts to design and implement policies and practices that attract, grow and retain high quality, diverse teachers and leaders.   Prior to Education First, she was a leader of Teacher Effectiveness initiatives at the NYCPS, including launching a more rigorous tenure policy and piloting a new teacher evaluation and development model in over a hundred schools.

Sophie holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University and a MBA from Harvard Business School. She is also a graduate of The Broad Residency in Urban Education Leadership. Sophie is on the board of directors at Brooklyn Bridge Park and at PAVE, a charter school in Red Hook that prepares pre-kindergarten to 8th grade students to thrive in competitive high schools and four-year colleges. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children.

Nicole G. Epps

Brooklyn Org, Chief Operating & Financial Officer

Nicole G. Epps  has over a decade of progressive leadership experience in strategy, management, and meaningful engagement with philanthropic and program partners working within under-resourced communities. Prior to joining Brooklyn Org, Nicole was the Chief of Staff at the Osborne Association, a human services agency that works with recently and formerly incarcerated participants as they work to re-enter their communities. Continue Reading