Crystal Vera-Montalvo, Director of Community Educational Engagement at the College of Staten Island, has been appointed by NYC Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani to the City’s Panel for Educational Policy (PEP). Vera-Montalvo is one of 13 new members appointed by the Mayor.

“As a parent of two NYC public school students, I am grateful to serve in this role, and honored that I was invited as a mayoral appointee of the Mamdani administration,” Vera-Montalvo said. “Most of my academic, personal, and professional life has been about centering the voices of people who have been historically excluded or pushed to the margins of society. I hope to bring this lens to the PEP and continue to support schools as places of belonging for NYC youth, families, teachers, and staff. This responsibility is profoundly meaningful to me.”

“Public schools belong to New Yorkers, and the families, students, and educators who make them what they are deserve a real voice in the decisions that shape them,” Mayor Mamdani said. “The Panel for Educational Policy has a vital responsibility to help guide our school system with transparency and accountability. I am grateful to these members for stepping up to serve our city and for bringing the experience and commitment our students deserve.”

In her role at CSI, which she has held since 2018, Vera-Montalvo oversees CUNY continuing education English as a Second Language and GED programs, along with lifelong learning programs for older adults and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

She previously spent more than a decade working in education and the nonprofit sector. Vera-Montalvo also serves on the boards of Nonprofit Staten Island, La Colmena, and Segunda Quimbamba. She is pursuing a Doctorate in Community-Based Leadership at CSI and earned both her Bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics and her Master’s degree in Global Development and Social Justice from St. John’s University.

By Terry Mares