Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil is Superintendent of Schools for New York’s Uniondale Union Free School District, leading a community of more than 6,000 students and their families. Under her leadership, Uniondale has achieved historic results, including a 91% high school graduation rate, the launch of a five-year strategic plan, being named a nationally certified “My Brother’s Keeper Community” by the Obama Foundation, and becoming a model district for the New York State Latina Mentoring Initiative.
With nearly 30 years of education experience, Monique has served as a teacher, staff developer, principal, and assistant superintendent. She was previously Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, Programs, and Policy at the 20,000 student Brentwood School District. She also founded the Academy of Urban Planning High School in Brooklyn and held leadership roles with New York City Public Schools.
A nationally recognized leader, Monique has been honored as a “Superintendent to Watch” by the National School Public Relations Association, and presented at conferences hosted by the Aurora Institute, National School Boards Association, and National Alliance of Black School Educators. She brings an intentional focus on global education to her work and co-authored a chapter in “Global Leadership Perspectives on Industry, Society and Government,” focusing on women in school leadership here and abroad. She’s partnered with schools in Ghana and West Africa on literacy initiatives.
Monique serves on the Middle States Regional Council of The College Board, and the International Ethics Advisory Board of Woxsen University in India. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership, management, and policy from Seton Hall University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in history from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.
